Broken Mirrors
by Honeeym
Summary: AU. They all ask themselves : "Who am I now that everything is about to change?". Elena and Katherine Gilbert, the twins driven apart by a tragedy of the past they still know very little about. Their parents, who're on the brink of divorce. Stefan Price, the dirty little secret. And, of course, Damon Salvatore, the worldwide superstar about to do something he might regret.
1. Prologue

Prologue

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Damon Salvatore, mostly known as Clancy King, was sitting in the empty space these people had the nerve to call a dressing room. Apart from his makeup artist and his assistant, barely three more people could fit in there. Was that the treatment one of the biggest superstar of the decade could expect for a groundbreaking press conference? He sighed.

Sat in front of a mirror, he took a look at himself and rolled his eyes. No wonder the press called him and his bandmates vampires. With his unnaturally white hair, chiseled cheekbones, pale skin and cerulean eyes, he could have walked out of most teen vamp television shows. It also didn't help that he owned exclusively black clothes but it was his eyes, mostly, that gave him that allure. They were cold, their spark long gone. At barely 37, his eyes made him look like an old soul and he was just about done with it.

"A few touch-ups before we go?" Rose suggested shyly.

His assistant. The girl always meant well and they usually got along quite easily, but his nervousness rubbed off on her, today. She had no clue what he was planning to announce and the fact that he had barely said two words to her wasn't helping either. She tiptoed around him like he was a ticking time bomb.

"Sure," he said. "Quickly."

The makeup artist approached him and began the familiar process of applying foundation to make him look paler, causing his eyes to pop in the process. He closed them, refusing to watch himself be transformed into Clancy King, superstar, one more time. When she was finished, Rose handed him his usual long leather jacket and left the room, knowing he liked having privacy before important moments.

With another sigh, he sat back in front of the mirror, having a hard time resisting breaking the damn thing. But soon, his reflection would change. Everything would change.

"You can do this," he whispered to himself.

* * *

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

Miranda Gilbert had just woken up from yet another bad night. Whether they were nightmares or bad omens, those dreams had been more and more frequent with the date of her retirement fast approaching. She had fiercely loved life as a diplomat, but she couldn't wait to begin the next chapter of her life.

Sitting at her bedroom vanity, she was uselessly brushing her short hair while her husband, Grayson, got ready to leave the house. Miranda watched him walk behind her without giving her a look and once again marveled at the perfect tan of his skin and his good built for a man in his mid-fifties. Grayson Gilbert had changed her life, in many ways, and she feared she would soon be changing his in a way that he might not recognize as good.

She didn't bother talking to him. They weren't exactly fighting, but things had been tense around the house, these past few days. It was her fault, naturally. She came home late, travelled a lot and spent a ridiculous amount of time glued to her phone. Grayson didn't miss a thing and he was getting suspicious something was going on. And boy, was he right.

Miranda focused back on getting ready. She didn't have to go to the office today, but it was better than an empty house. She'd work until noon, then return to prepare everything for the twins' arrival. Yes. That was a good plan.

When Grayson was ready, clad in a suit and his tie properly knotted, he gave her a short nod that she returned. That would be all the communication they'd have, that morning.

As he left, Miranda took another look at herself. Despite the seventeen years she had spent in tropical places with Grayson and their long time spent moving from one country to the other, she remained stubbornly pale, her skin giving away that she wasn't from a country where the sun shone all the time. She didn't miss Ireland. Not one bit. She had left knowing she didn't want to come back, knowing she wanted to be more than the small-town girl she had seemed meant to be. But when she saw her reflection, she couldn't help but realize she had aged very little. Her face remained severe with her slightly pointed chin and piercing eyes. Her hair had gotten shorter and shorter with the years, to the point that it was now simply reaching her chin. Her daughter Katherine always complained about the shortness of her hair.

The thought of her girls made her smile and grimace at the same time. It was their twenty-ninth birthday today. An important date as always, but mostly this year. Today was the day that would trigger it all. Everything Miranda had been keeping to herself would reveal itself little by little and although she had spent ten years planning this moment, she had no idea how to actually face it now.

Her phone vibrated, taking her out of her thoughts. When she saw the name on the screen, she sighed.

"You can do this," she ordered herself before she picked up.

* * *

 _Miami, Florida_

"Babe, get out of the shower, quick! The steam is blurring the mirror," Katherine shouted to her boyfriend.

Waiting for Elijah to execute her order, Katherine finished applying her lipstick and adjusted her burgundy hair. She looked a lot like her mother, she thought. They had the same chin and high cheekbones that gave them somewhat of an aristocratic allure. And obviously, she looked a lot like her sister too, their same almond-shaped brown eyes sitting below perfectly arched brows. Katherine had always insisted her eyes weren't brown, but topaz. In response, her sister had decided she had amber eyes and everyone was happy. Especially now that Katherine was a model. Topaz eyes were the rage in Miami because of her – or so she liked to tell herself, sassy little thing that she was.

"Elijah, damn it," she insisted, her American accent seeping through because of her annoyance.

Elijah Oakwood finally exited the shower. His dark hair and eyes gave him a mysterious aura that dissolved into adorableness the second he decided to smile. Kind-hearted and thoughtful, he was the funniest man Katherine had dated in a while. He came behind her to kiss her cheek and rub the steam off the mirror, letting her see her reflection. She beamed at it.

"You can totally do this!" she said.

If only she could be as convinced as she sounded, she thought bitterly, her bright smile never leaving her face.

* * *

 _New York City, NY_

Stefan was sitting in the car, in the underground parking lot near the airport. Marcel had told him to stay put while he dealt with the formalities. And despite being over thirty, Stefan always did what Marcel said; it was for the best. Marcel knew better. So he stayed put, trying hard not to open the door and run as fast as he could to return into hiding.

He wasn't ready. He had been expecting this moment for weeks now and yet, he wasn't ready. Worse, he was terrified. He had never gotten into a plane before. What if the thing crashed before he got to Mystic Falls? What if people didn't understand his accent there? What if he was just too weird, just too damaged to fit in? But… what if he had changed too much to fit in with _her?_

He had to stop thinking. He had to stop thinking and simply follow the plan. Yes. That would put his mind to rest. Just let Marcel see to everything.

"You can do this, Stefan. You have to."

* * *

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

Elena Gilbert was standing in her bathroom, her mascara brush hanging miserably from her right hand. Unlike her sister, she wasn't the confident type. She doubted everything all the time, except when it came to her job. Right now, she was doubting every choice she had ever made that had led her to stand there, her mascara brush hanging miserably from her hand, her nose running and her eyes red from crying. She had gone wrong somewhere, that much, she knew. But where? That much, she knew as well. It simply was too hard to admit.

Tissues and makeup remover wipes were scattered in and around the sink. She angrily grabbed them all and tossed them in the trash. She finished applying her mascara, grabbed her attorney robes and her other disguise for the day and nodded to herself.

"You can do this, Elena."

She pretended she had stopped crying.

 **Author's note : Hello, TVD/TO family. It's been a lifetime since I published anything , and I think it's my first time going completely AU, but I hope my readers are still around. Feels good to be back! From Paris, with love - M.**


	2. Crossroads - Part 1

**Crossroads – Part 1**

 _Miami, Florida_

Katherine absentmindedly sat on the bed while Elijah packed her two suitcases; he was so organized that he actually enjoyed packing for her and she was too lazy to do it anyway.

"Tell me again why you need so many clothes for just a week?"

Katherine smiled at his French accent when he spoke. It was faint but it had been one of the things that had seduced her about him. The way he made words sing subtly while perfectly mastering the language. Katherine had always been a sucker for a little something different. In her men and in everything else about her life.

"Because I'm a model? Because it's my birthday? Because I have a sister who's incapable of dressing properly so I gotta take extras for her? Because –"

"Alright, alright. Got it."

He resumed folding her shirts and she began toying with the ring on her right hand. He had given it to her earlier that day as a birthday present, saying he couldn't resist when he saw it but… he had infused meaning into it. After almost six months of dating, he was thinking about going steady. He would never use those words, for fear of scaring her away, but that ring was screaming at Katherine. And the words it uttered terrified her.

"You don't like it?" Elijah said, noticing her staring at her hand. "I can exchange it. You could come with me and pick it yourself."

"No, I love it," she said. " _Elle est parfaite."_

Elijah noticed something off in her voice. Was it the ring or something else? He closed one suitcase and came to sit next to her, taking her right hand into his. They fit together nicely, Katherine thought sadly.

"What's wrong, _ma chérie_?"

"Nothing! I'm just…nervous."

"About what? You love your birthday!"

"And Elena hates it, which means we're gonna have to deal with another Birthday Breakdown."

 _"_ _C'est quoi, ça?"_

She laughed at his outraged tone. He often teased her about her "Americanisms" that he failed to understand. Her speech was colored by so many influences that he sometimes had a hard time keeping up with her. She gave him a patient smile.

"At some point during dinner tonight, something is gonna trigger her and she'll start crying, saying this isn't what her life was supposed to be. Happens every year. Way to ruin the mood."

"What was her life supposed to be, then?"

Katherine answered with silence, her eyes getting lost in the void and filling with tears. Those thoughts were too painful to have, especially so close to – No. She would not think about it. She bit her lip to stop herself from beginning to cry and tapped her hands on the bed.

" _Allez, mon amour_ , let's just finish packing."

She grabbed a few clothes, rolled them into a ball and furiously threw it in the second suitcase's direction. Elijah caught it before it fell, huffing at her. He began folding her tops, deciding the conversation about Elena would have to wait until next week.

When he was done, he removed the suitcases from the bed and climbed in behind Katherine to give her shoulders a rub. She was tense as could be. He worked up her tensions with his thumbs, feeling her relax eventually. She even gave a subtle moan of satisfaction.

"You haven't been with your family in months, it'll be great to be all together. And maybe Elena is in a great mood today."

"You obviously don't know my sister."

"But I'd love to meet her."

Katherine froze imperceptibly. In the past…well, decade, she hadn't introduced any of her boyfriends to her sister. Not one. It would mean she was ready to slow down her crazed life and settle with a man. Could that man be Elijah? Could modelling in Miami really become her long-term life? She didn't know.

"You'll meet her soon enough," she said. "Promise."

"Okay…"

That seemed to have further brightened Elijah's mood as he started kissing her nape, her neck. His hands travelled from her shoulders to her stomach, under her blouse. Katherine let herself be dragged into the dance and removed the blouse, her mind absent as he made love to her.

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

In the ladies' bathroom, Elena was changing from her attorney robes to her regular pencil skirt and white shirt. The weather was clement these days, but she never felt at ease without a blazer, so she added a dark blue one on top of her attire. Her coworker, Jane Mitchell, the youngest and brightest addition to the firm, did the same, going from robes to red jeans and a black sleeveless blouse.

Elena liked Jane a lot. She was smart and she knew it; she took nonsense from nobody, not even from her and that commanded her respect. Jane was a pleasure to work with and also nice company to keep. She has stories about absolutely everything. Never a dull moment with that girl. Sadly, Elena had been paying less and less attention to Jane today as her mood went sour. That birthday dinner was like a cloud over her head, ready to start raining and thundering.

After they were done, they washed their hands and Jane immediately raised her hand for a high-five. Elena humored her and slapped her hand against the blonde's.

"You haven't lost a single case since the beginning of the year! You're on a roll, miss Gilbert!"

"Let's just say I get the work done, yeah?"

Jane laughed at her colleague's modesty. Elena was the top Junior lawyer in their firm. Amongst other young lawyers, she was known as the Shark – because of her resilience. Once she started working on a case, there was no rest until she found a loophole to win. Saying she "got the work done" was the understatement of the century.

"Come on, Kol will be waiting for us," Elena said.

And indeed, as they exited the ladies' room, Kol Thomas was waiting, tapping his foot with fake annoyance.

"What took you so damn long?"

"We're here now, aren't we?" Elena said, her British accent colliding with his, purely Hispanic.

30-year-old Kol was the brunette's oldest co-worker. He could have made partner already if he wasn't so keen on waiting until Elena got the offer too, to keep working with her. Besides, making partner would mean more serious cases and he wasn't sure clients would trust someone like him with their dramatic business. With his shiny dark hair, tattoos and lady-killer smile, he didn't fit the lawyer stereotype. Still, as they left the court house, the "Three Musketeers" garnered envious looks from their fellow Junior lawyers.

When they got to the parking lot, Jane slapped her hands on her thighs.

"What do you say we have a couple of drinks to celebrate the win?"

Kol, who was standing behind Elena, gestured for her to take back her offer and stop talking.

"And it's also your birthday, Elena, right?"

Kol sighed and slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"And I specifically told you not to mention that, Jane."

"You did?" she said, her cheeks reddening. "I'm – I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright, Jane," Elena said. "You couldn't have known. I can't go anyway, family dinner."

"Oh, that's amazing!"

"Oh yeah, amazing," Kol snorted. "Speaking of, let's get to work. Time to put your mask on, Elena."

Kol took the car keys from Elena's hand and opened the trunk to retrieve a Louboutin box. He laid the high-heeled pumps at her feet.

"Do I really have to?" she moaned.

"Do you really want Katherine to snap at you all evening? Off with those flats, now!"

Ill-willed as possible, Elena leaned on Kol to put on the shoes. Then he handed her an electric blue jacket.

"That too?"

"And the hair. Let go of that high-school teacher vibe."

With a desperate sigh, Elena undid her high bun, letting her chestnut mane cascade over her shoulders. She reluctantly accepted the hairbrush Jane was handing her. Her hair was a mess, always too sleek and filled with static electricity, like it had its own volition to make her look like a fool. She disciplined it with a few strong strokes and raised an eyebrow at Jane.

"Yeah, it's perfect. You should wear it like this more often."

"Thanks," Elena grumbled.

"But…what are we doing?" Jane asked.

"Turning me into a decent-looking woman so my mom and sister lay off my back."

"Oh. Okay."

Kol laughed as he saw a man approaching on a Vespa. He had forgotten about that part of the game, possibly his favorite. The man got off the Vespa and walked straight to Elena.

"Hey, Elena," he said. "There's your rent."

"Thanks, Dimitri, you're right on time. I'll return it next week, yeah?"

"Anytime, you know you're my only customer."

They exchanged a smile.

"Thank you. Have a nice evening."

"You too, lady. See you next week, same place."

"I'll bring it to your house, don't worry."

"Thanks. Enjoy the ride."

As soon as Dimitri was gone, Kol burst out laughing.

"As _if_ you're going to enjoy riding all the way to the airport on that thing."

"Why not just use your car?" Jane asked, all the more puzzled by these shenanigans.

Elena's eyes darkened.

"My sister has a thing with cars."

"Just like Elena has a thing with her birthday. Strange sister set is what I call them. So weird."

Elena glared at him, making Jane laugh. She got on the Vespa and Kol made her car keys tinkle in front of Jane's eyes.

"Want a ride home?"

"Erm… sure, yes. Well… have a good night, Elena."

"Thanks. Careful with my car, Kol, alright?"

"You be careful with that thing, baby girl," he said, gesturing disgustedly at the Vespa. "And slap on some lipstick."

"I don't have any."

Jane started fumbling in her bag, but Kol stopped her, trying hard to contain his laugh.

"And I know how to drive a Vespa by now, thank you very much."

"Be thankful it's not raining," he replied before turning to Jane. "Last year, she looked like a miserable wet rat."

With one more glare, Elena was gone.

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

Miranda was in the living-room, fiddling with a box of crystal champagne glasses. Her phone in one hand, she let go of the box to put her other hand in front of her mouth.

"We can't keep doing this. It's been going on for too long. Couldn't we just – I'll call you back."

She put her phone down and busied herself with unpacking the glasses, offering Grayson a tense smile. He was carrying plates and cutlery that he dropped on the table with extreme gentleness, which told Miranda that something was bothering him.

"That happens a lot."

"What, darling?" she said, deciding to play dumb until she couldn't anymore.

"The whispering. The abrupt end of your phone calls when I enter the room."

"Business. You know how it is."

Grayson observed her as she avoided his gaze. She had unpacked only one glass that she was looking at like it was the Holy Grail. She wouldn't even confront his eyes?

"You'd think a diplomat retiring in two months would be off the classified cases, but eh, what do I know?"

Miranda couldn't find anything to answer. She resumed unpacking the glasses in silence. Grayson snorted to himself. He knew his wife well and she was hiding something from him. The nature of that something, however, frightened him.

Following her lead, he began setting the table, careful to remain on the opposite side of the table from her.

"So… you're quite busy these days."

"Yes. Long hours, lots of meetings to wrap things up."

"It's not like you're planning to cut off all contacts with your… colleagues, is it?"

Miranda almost smiled when she understood where Grayson was going with this. He thought she was cheating on him. She held back a sigh of relief. He couldn't possibly know what was really going on and she had been a fool to fear so.

"Not in the near future, no," she said, playing along.

Grayson gave her a smile that looked more predatory than amused.

"They really can't live without you, can they?"

"Everybody wants me, you know? What can I say?"

Grayson stopped dead in his tracks, his twisted smile growing.

"Everybody can have you if that's what you want."

Miranda bit her lip, panic rushing over her. She didn't think he was that far gone in his misled beliefs.

"Y – you're suggesting divorce because I work too much?"

"You've worked too much from the second I met you, Miranda. That's not the problem here."

"Then what?"

"I'm just saying. If the way we live doesn't satisfy you anymore…"

"Can we not do this today? It's the girls' birthday and they'll be here soon. I want everything to be perfect."

Grayson softly laughed to himself. Always keeping up appearances; he should have seen it coming by now. That had always been how Miranda operated. At times it was for the best, as she calmed his quick temper, but sometimes, it was the worst thing she could do to him, shutting him out behind her wall of perfect diplomat, perfect hostess or perfect mother.

"And when, pray tell, will be the right moment to discuss "this"?

"Soon. I promise."

She headed to the sideboard to retrieve some candles.

"Very soon."

 **A/N: Second update of the weekend, I'll try to post something at least once a week to keep y'all entertained. So what do you think Miranda is hiding from Grayson? What about Elijah/Katherine, do you like where this is going? Please share any thoughts you have, good and/or bad, by cliking the "review" button. From Paris, with love - M.**


	3. Crossroads - Part 2

**Crossroads – Part 2**

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

The conference room was buzzing with the talk of the lucky few Clancy had summoned for his announcement. Now an hour into waiting, the journalists from all around the country and photographers were getting restless, especially since they had seen little movement since their arrival. The chatter in the small space was bouncing off the walls.

"I wonder what we're doing here," one woman said.

"I don't know, but it's about to good, let me tell you," a male colleague answered. "A Golden Arrows conference out of the blue? You bet they're about to split."

Another man joined in.

"It'd do me well to bring back that exclusive, but I don't think so. Maybe another album and tour."

"Oh yeah", a man in his thirties mocked. "That's exactly what the world needs. 'Vampire sucking your daughter's souls dry World Tour', I can see it from here."

Everyone laughed. The press had this habit of pocking fun at the band because they all seemed to take themselves so seriously with their looks and dark lyrics. They presented themselves as some sort of elite in the music industry and their numbers didn't lie: one sold-out tour after the other, they reached an audience so diverse that even experts were puzzled. Even though their music could depress the happiest, bubbliest person on Earth, the magic worked, period.

"I'm putting my money on a baby announcement," the youngest in the room said; he had been invited because his vlogs were the craze and Clancy was hoping for major exposure with this. "Tyler, this time? What do you think?"

"Nah," another female blogger said. "Matt, probably."

Putting an end to the speculations, Alaric Saltzman, the band's manager, stepped onto the stand. Contrary to what one might expect, Ric looked nothing like the band he represented. At 45, he was always clad in a suit and tie, his beard clean-shaven, his phone glued to his hand. He was a huge reason for the band's success; his charm, contrary to theirs, opened many doors for Golden Arrows with the professionals. He gave a friendly wave of the hand to the small crowd in front of him.

"Good evening, everybody. Thanks for coming on such short notice. Appreciate it."

"Alaric, what is this about?" a woman named Andie Starr asked.

Ric grimaced. He hated that he had to say what he was about to.

"Your guess is as good as mine," he admitted. "Clancy has something he'd like to share, so… I'll take questions after he makes his statement."

The chatter immediately resumed. Alaric stepped off the stand and disappeared to meet with the rest of the band.

There was Vincent Griffith, the oldest, a 38-year-old Black man with dark hair and brown eyes. Something about him screamed of aristocracy and danger and at that moment, he looked pretty exasperated.

Then, there was Matt Donovan, 36. Square-jawed, short-haired with blue eyes, he looked exceptionally friendly despite the band's trademark attire. He and Clancy were friends before they were bandmates and the frown of concern on his face hadn't stopped deepening since his arrival a few minutes ago.

As for Lorenzo "Enzo" St John, 37, he was absolutely unbothered. With his model physique, he was the most courted member of the band, but also the less accessible one. Life seemed to just leave him indifferent, and his calm in the tempest was Alaric's beacon in that moment. Enzo was simply sitting there, going through his phone and patiently waiting like he didn't have a care in the world.

Finally came Tyler Lockwood, the youngest member of Golden Arrows. He stood out from the others, with his all-around guy-next-door attitude. However, he was restless today and couldn't seem to sit still.

When Alaric opened the door, it was predictably Tyler who jumped on him.

"What the hell, man? Where is he?"

"No clue. I don't like this."

"I didn't drag my ass from L.A. to bloody Virginia to wait for his Majesty to bless us with his presence. We gotta find him," Enzo simply said.

The men exchanged looks and nodded, worry now perceptible even in Enzo's eyes.

* * *

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

Elena parked on the drop-off area and took off her helmet, bringing Katherine's with her, under her arm. Her sister was already waiting at their usual meeting point and with each step she took, Elena felt nervous. She often did lately, in the presence of her family. Almost as if being around them would trigger a wave of something too big to be escaped.

"Lena," Katherine shrieked when she saw her sister.

She embraced Elena a little too tightly to hide her own nervousness. It was the only way she knew how to do it; when she felt ill-at-ease, she went over the top. Elena was well aware and the thought of Katherine being as stressed as she was somehow made her feel better. She returned her sister's embrace, but not letting go of her, felt compelled to say something for the billionth time.

"Don't call me that, Katherine. Please."

Her sister nodded and let go of her with a contrite face. That nickname had been the cause of many arguments over the past years. One morning, Elena had woken up and decided she never wanted to hear the moniker again. She had her reasons of course, and valuable ones at that, but Katherine had been struggling to erase the word from her vocabulary. She still used it with other people, so she had to be careful only when she was actually with her sister.

"How was your flight?" Elena asked.

"Short and sweet, just the way I like'em _._ I've already put my luggage to delivery to Mamma and Daddy's."

"Alright. They must be expecting us, so…"

Elena handed her helmet to Katherine but frowned when her sister folded her arms.

"You don't seriously think you're going to our birthday dinner dressed like this, do you? I'll give you A for effort on the Louboutin but we just _gotta_ explore the alternative, okay?"

Elena bit her tongue. She was tired of hearing that catchphrase as an excuse for everything Katherine did. Explore the alternative. What if she was fine with the outfit she – Kol, really – had picked?

"Which means?" she gave in.

"Shopping spree, duh!"

"I don't really…"

"I'm buying! Birthday treat!"

Elena put on a fake smile. It was too early to start upsetting Katherine for something as trivial as shopping. If she wanted to buy her a dress, so be it.

"Alright, but I have to stop somewhere first."

" _En route !_ "

Fifty-five minutes later with the traffic from the airport into Atlanta, Elena stopped in a busy street and dropped a brown envelope in a mailbox that read "Generis & Associates."

After that, she let her sister drag her to seven – seven, for Heaven's sake – designer boutiques to pick up an entirely new outfit. Katherine was obviously enjoying herself but just as obviously forcing it a little bit; Elena obediently went through the charade, even though she could tell she'd hate every second spent in the Dolce dress her twin had picked for her.

When they got to Elena's apartment, she turned on the light, huffing and puffing, and dreading the moment she'd have to leave the house in her new attire.

"Oh, I can't wait to see you in that dress! You're going to look fabulous."

Elena smiled despite herself. She turned her head when something familiar caught her eye. She was breathless for a second as she realized she had forgotten to put the framed pictures away. She always did when her family visited.

She muffled her gasp and grabbed as many bags as she could from Katherine's hands. She put them on the sideboard to hide the pictures.

"What's got you all jumpy?" Katherine said.

"We – we're going to be late. Mum will be furious. We should go get dressed there."

Katherine observed her sister carefully. What were behind those bags? What could possibly make Elena want her out of the apartment altogether? That only added to the long list of questions she'd have to ask someday, but for now, she decided to play dumb. She fumbled in the bags still in her possession and grabbed the dress she bought for her sister.

"Let's get dressed here, we'll do our makeup there. You need a dramatic face beat to match that dress, trust me."

"I have no idea what that means, but it sounds painful."

Katherine laughed.

"Just trust me. Go get dressed, I'll freshen up a bit."

"Go ahead, I'll tidy the mess."

"You're such a clean freak…"

Katherine left, knowing that by the time she came back, whatever Elena wanted to hide would be gone. It pained her to see how many secrets remained between the two of them, but she had a lot of responsibility in that, she knew it. So she went along with it, waiting for the day she'd be brave enough to burst that bubble of lies and things left unsaid.

When her sister was in the bathroom, Elena swore under her breath. She had almost started a war with her carelessness. As soon as she heard the water running, she grabbed the four frames and ran to her bedroom with them.

There was a picture of her and Jeremy from five years ago, a picture of Jeremy with Grace when she was 2, and two pictures of the little girl that he had sent last week. Elena hid them all in her dirty laundry basket.

But there was one last frame to hide, the one from her nightstand. Her fingers brushed against it softly and she turned it face down so harshly that the glass shattered. Elena left the pieces and hid the frame under her mattress when she heard Katherine's steps approaching. She knocked on the door, but didn't come in.

"Lena! Are you ready to go?"

Too shook by the frame she had just broken to scold her sister, Elena barely hummed in her Katherine's direction, her eyes glued to the bed.

"Elena!"

"Yes! Yes, just give me a second."

She undressed to her underwear and slipped on the dark blue dress. There was too much exposed cleavage and not enough fabric covering her legs. Definitely not enough.

"Come zip me, please?" she asked.

Katherine entered the bedroom with a black trench coat tightened around her body. Elena threw her a questioning glance.

"You gotta know how to make a grand entrance. I got one for you too, remember?"

Katherine zipped up Elena's dress and handed her shoes, a clutch and the trench coat. Her sister silently got dressed.

"Let's go now, shall we?"

"Let's, yeah."

Elena got out of the room first and Katherine took a careful look around, noticing debris of glass on the nightstand. She bit her lip with a sigh, turned off the light and left.

* * *

 _New York City, New York_

Jeremy was sitting on the couch, his daughter Grace on his lap. His friend Bonnie Bennett, a 28-year-old nurse at the General Hospital, was preparing tea for them and hot chocolate for the little girl.

At the moment, Bonnie was wearing her black hair long. She had a playful personality and flawless skin and eyes to die for. But she was also nurturing and protective... The kind of woman any man would like to have on his arm. Jeremy had developed a crush on her instantly the first he had seen her with Elena. They had grown closer lately, which explained why she was still around at 9pm after her shift at the hospital. She sat next to Jeremy and Grace with the beverages, but the little girl gently pushed her mug away.

"Daddy, I want to call again. Please."

"You still haven't talked to her today?" Bonnie said.

That was a surprise. Jeremy always made sure to call Elena first thing in the morning on her birthday so that Grace could talk to her before school.

"Go get my phone, Gracie," Jeremy said.

The little girl hopped off his lap with a giggle, got his phone and dialed the number herself. She kept the phone and waited. Her eyes lit up when the tone rang.

"Maybe she'll pick up this time," she said with a huge smile.

Bonnie threw a questioning glance at Jeremy. He leaned in to whisper to her.

"I've tried a dozen times today. Gracie won't go to sleep if she doesn't talk to her."

"Hello Lena," Grace exclaimed.

"Ah, she picked up, eh baby?"

"She stopped talking, daddy. She stopped."

Jeremy picked up the phone only to realize the call had gone straight to voicemail again. He sighed when he noticed the tears welling up in Grace's eyes. This situation was impossible to deal with. Seeing her companions' distress, Bonnie felt compelled to step in.

"How about this, eh, Gracie? You drink your chocolate and I'll try to call again later, okay?"

"No, I want Lena."

"I put marshmallows in it, just the way you like," Bonnie sang.

"No."

Grace threw herself in her father's arms and he rubbed soft circles on her back, his jaw tight. He hated the million miles between them and Elena. He hated that he literally had to wait until she was at liberty to talk to him to get her and Grace to communicate, especially today. He hated himself for not having the balls to do what it took to change that situation, too.

His phone beeped on the couch. Grace jumped to see what was going on. It was a message from Elena.

 _Not alone, omw to dinner. Call you later. Xxx to Grace._

"Eh Gracie, look! Lena just sent me a message and she said to give you a big kiss. She'll call tomorrow."

That seemed to satisfy the little girl, who giggled, accepted the mug of chocolate Bonnie was still holding, kissed both adults goodnight and carefully walked to her bedroom.

Bonnie put a comforting hand on Jeremy's arm.

"I'm tired of being her dirty little secret," he sighed.

She snorted.

"You made that choice, Jeremy. Remember?"

 **A/N: And the plot thickens. Any idea what's the nature of the connection between Jeremy and Elena?**


	4. Crossroads - Part 3

**Crossroads – Part 3**

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

After sitting quietly for another half-hour, Matt Donovan decided he'd had enough. He and Clancy went way back. They'd been friends even before there was a Clancy King, when the now superstar was just Damon Salvatore. Surely he would share a bit of information about this whole mess if Matt could get a hold of him. Without a word to his bandmates or manager, Matt began wandering the place, looking for his friend. Luckily for him, he ran into Clancy ten minutes later, in the company of his parents, Giuseppe and Lily.

Matt had always liked Giuseppe, even looked up to him as a second dad. With his slowly receding hairline but shiny and healthy brown hair, Giuseppe Salvatore was instantly likeable. There was a glint of mischief in his eyes that made you feel like you and him were a team, always. He had stopped working in real estate a few years ago, when Clancy decided his parents were better off living off his millions than slaving for minimum wage.

As for Lily, who had chosen to keep working despite her son's protestations, she was the quiet in the storm. A woman so soft Matt had barely ever heard her raise her voice in two decades. He was very fond of her and her slightly neurotic tendency to plan everything. Maybe she should be the one to talk to, after all.

A number of journalists and photographers were standing in the corridor as well and cameras started flashing the moment Matt approached Clancy.

"Hey, man," he called.

Clancy stopped dead in his tracks and withheld a sigh. He was not in the mood for small talk, especially not with Everyone's Favorite, Matt. His mother touched her lean fingers to his arm to calm him. In response, he inhaled deeply and plastered a smile on his face before turning to face Matt.

"What's all the fuss about, Clance?" Matt asked.

"Now you care to know what I'm up to? That's new."

"Damon, please," Lily said firmly.

"Mom, Dad, let's just go."

Clancy opened the door to his "dressing room" and expectantly held it for his parents. Matt sighed. He had never been kept out of Clancy's plans before. Lily threw a sorry smile in his direction and walked into the room. Giuseppe imitated her.

"Matt… sorry, son," he said. "We'll know soon enough, I guess."

Matt nodded. Clancy made a show of rolling his eyes and slammed the door in his bandmate's face. After being stunned for a second, Matt walked back to the rest of the guys.

"Well?" Vincent said.

"Did you find him?" Alaric added.

"What's he playing at?" Enzo asked.

Matt sighed and sat down.

"I have a bad feeling about this one, fellas. Real bad one."

* * *

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

The twins let themselves in the apartment with their keys as silently as possible, wishing to surprise their parents. They were the ones surprised to find Miranda sitting at the table and Grayson watching television in silence. Elena and Katherine exchanged a look but chose not to comment.

"The guests of honor have arrived!" Katherine said.

Their parents abandoned their seats to come and greet them. Katherine and her mother exchanged a long, warm embrace, as did Grayson and Elena.

"It's so good to see you together. I've missed my babies," Grayson said.

"They're 29, darling, come on…" Miranda teased.

She went to kiss Elena's cheeks and gave her a brief hug. The unresolved tension between them was palpable for a fleeting moment, whereas Grayson treated Katherine to the same smothering hug he'd given his other daughter.

"Let me get your coats, sweethearts," Miranda said.

Katherine slapped her mother's hand away with a smile.

"We're not done getting ready. Do we have time before dinner?"

"Your mother is having a gourmet meal delivered," Grayson said. "You have time."

His tone was somewhat ironic, as if the thought of eating a three-star meal by a renowned chef was preposterous to him.

"I didn't know three-star restaurants did deliveries," Elena said with an impressed smile.

"Oh, but nobody can deny your mother anything."

"Is everything alright, Dad?"

Grayson opened his mouth to answer, but Miranda wouldn't have it. She clapped her hands and ushered the girls towards the bathroom.

"Enough chit chat! You girls go do what you have to, the food will be here soon."

The girls disappeared into the bathroom and Grayson returned to his chair, turning the television back on. Miranda walked up to him and turned it off.

"Make an effort," she said through her teeth.

"I am trying."

"Try harder, then. Today is not about us, Grayson."

"Oh, no. Today is all about you."

In the bathroom, Elena and Katherine were wondering if there was a problem with their parents, but they were used to it. This was nothing to be too concerned about.

"Keep the coat, I don't want to stain the dress with makeup," Katherine said.

"Just go easy on me, alright? I don't want to look like a bloody clown."

Katherine scoffed.

"I know you constantly doubt that, but I actually know what I'm doing."

Silence settled in as Elena let her sister do as she pleased. She had never been at ease with beauty products. There were too many of them to even learn how to use. With time, she had let Katherine teach her a trick or two, but nothing too extensive. With her schedule, spending half an hour on makeup every morning would have been pure folly. She knew how to apply foundation, powder and mascara; she considered it was more than enough.

"I don't understand how this works," Katherine said quietly as she reached for another brush. "She still calls him darling. Who calls their ex darling?"

"You know how I feel about pet names, but I'll go one better. Who breaks up, doesn't get a divorce and keeps living together?"

"Weirdest parents in History."

Elena shrugged and they giggled. They heard their mother asking them to hurry; the food was here. Katherine did her best to speed up the process, demanding Elena closed her eyes so she could apply eyeliner.

"They were together for thirty-five years. It takes a while to cut the ties, I guess. It's not weird."

"It's been two years since they 'broke up', Lena."

Elena opened her eyes with a frown.

"Stop calling me that. I have a name and I happen to love it."

"Well, _Elena_ , you ruined my masterpiece," Katherine complained in return, reaching for a Q-tip to wipe the messy eyeliner. "Sit still."

"Hurry, I'm starving."

"Just a few more seconds."

Elena complied, dreading the final result. Her sister was so exuberant she feared what she might look like. She closed her eyes to let Katherine finish with her eyes, applying some liquid eyeliner and fake eyelashes. When she was done, the improvised makeup artist took a step back to admire her work. Her blood-red lips stretched into a smug grin.

"You can look now."

Elena stood carefully, unaccustomed to the tight dress and high heels her sister had picked for her. She felt like her ribs were being crushed with every move, but couldn't deny the appeal of the outfit. She seldom gave herself compliments, but tonight, she did look quite beautiful. That didn't stop her from pulling on her dress a few times to make it go lower on her legs, to no avail.

She tiptoed to the full-length mirror and gasped when she was faced with her reflection. For a second, she believed she was looking at Katherine; they had never seemed so alike. Their similar hairstyles had a lot to do with it; it had been years since they had rocked straight hair at the same time.

The girls' resemblance was obvious, there was no denying that. More than just twins, they could have been doppelgangers. But their looks made it easy to tell them apart. Elena's face was often bare, her sleek hair cascading freely on her shoulders when she was casual or wrapped into a high bun at work. Katherine, on the other hand, experimented with her locks on a whim, going from short blonde bobs to her latest burgundy mane and using wigs whenever she pleased. She never left the house without applying lipstick of some kind, mostly a shade of red.

"I look… just like you! I – I don't… can't you…"

"Come on," Katherine gloated. "You know how Mamma gets when we're late to the table."

With a sigh, Elena followed her sister to the living-room, where they made their entrance with their arms hooked together. Katherine cleared her throat to get their parents' attention and dragged Elena into a synchronized twirl.

Their parents paused in their casual conversation to take in the vision and both had the same dreamy smile, looking at these daughters they had desired more than anything. Miranda's hand reached for her husband's.

"Look at our girls, darling," she breathed.

The girls smiled at each other. They had never been starved for compliments; their parents adored them and had given them the keys to self-confidence, although Katherine had embraced it with more ease than her sister.

Elena kept fiddling with her dress. This was a costume she wasn't sure she could live up to. Why did she let Katherine dress her up like this?

"You're quite a vision, sweethearts," Grayson agreed. "I feel like I'm seeing double. Just like old times."

Elena smiled tenderly at her father. The patriarch had always been closer to her. He nurtured a great deal of love for his children, but he and Elena had a particular bond. His character matched his younger daughter's so perfectly that even Katherine had never been saddened by the apparent discrepancy in affections.

Grayson and Elena were both discreet, content with leaving the spotlight to those who needed it. Tonight, he was wearing his finest suit, the rich night blue complimenting his skin perfectly. Miranda put her arm around his shoulder, causing him to shudder.

"It reminds me of the time you decided you were one person and went by the name of Kelena," Miranda said, feigning to tap the corner of her eyes in pure emotion.

At that mention of the past, Elena felt the room slightly sway around her.

"That was a long time ago," she said. "We were just kids."

Elena felt grossly out of place. She broke away from Katherine and took a tour of the living-room.

Her parents' apartment was a luxurious two-bedroom, ideally located in a fancy neighborhood of Atlanta. She always felt inadequate when she came to visit; every item, every piece of furniture had been selected with care to reflect how far they had come and how well they were doing for themselves: awards for Grayson's journalism, pictures of Miranda with high-profile politicians… Elena shook her head. Tonight, in this designer dress that wasn't her, in this fancy apartment where she didn't fit, she found it hard to breathe.

The ostentatious family portrait above the fake chimney was the worst part of it all. It made her grit her teeth every time she glanced at it. Their parents were sitting in the foreground, Grayson with his "special suit" (sky blue jacket, white shirt and a horrible tie the girls gave him as a present when they were ten years old), Miranda in a beige designer dress. Elena and Katherine were standing behind their parents, back to back, their arms folded, wearing the same outfit, Elena in black and Katherine in white. They were all smiling wide.

"I hate that you're not on there with us", Elena whispered to herself.

Her breath then became irregular, her left hand flying to her stomach while the other kept trying to adjust her dress. She was oblivious to the whispered conversation going on behind her.

"She's been like this since she picked me up," Katherine said. "Hide your wife and daughter, Daddy, Birthday Breakdown is coming up."

"Kathy…" her father said severely.

"What? She never blows up on you!"

Miranda had enough. This would be the last birthday breakdown she'd witness if everything went according to plan. She clapped her hands together, making Elena jump, and got to her feet.

"Let's eat, shall we?"

Elena went to the table and paused, unsure of where she wanted to sit. She ended up taking the spot facing her father. Katherine took the remaining seat in front of Miranda as their mother unpacked the gourmet dinner with everyone's favorite dish.

Feeling like the silence was oppressing everyone, Katherine started a conversation.

"The way we look tonight, we both should be making the cover of magazines. Together!"

Miranda laughed but Grayson simply winked at Elena, knowing how insecure she felt about herself and her appearance.

"Don't be silly, dear," Miranda said as she started cutting into her fish. "Modelling works out great for you and your sister had made a fine career for herself here."

Elena gave her mother a tight smile. The need to escape the stuffed atmosphere grew stronger at the mention of her career.

Even though Miranda was a good mother, the primary thing that defined her was her job and, as she dived into endless cases and uncountable extra hours, Elena had begun to wonder if the same could be said about her. The question taunted her harder than before, today. Was her career the cornerstone of her existence, the very foundation of who she was?

As everyone ate, Elena perceived the subtle way in which her heart sped up when she realized there wasn't much outside of her job to describe her. She was a now twenty-nine-year old lawyer currently based in Atlanta. _Is that it? Is that all there is to say about me?_ She wondered bitterly.

She looked down to her plate of lobster. The smell usually delighted her but tonight, it made her throat feel constricted. She blamed it on the dress, that was obviously too tight, and dismissed the thought.

"Mystic Falls would be a great next step for you, sweetheart," Miranda continued. "To take your career further. You'd have more responsibilities in a small town."

Grayson threw her an exasperated glance that the twins didn't miss, but he said nothing.

"I meant to say," Miranda explained, "that I'm happy they are both accomplished in what they do."

"Not everything is about work," he dismissed. "What about love? Any special gentlemen in your lives?"

Elena began eating in silence, knowing Katherine would take the floor and have plenty to say. The lobster was chewy in her mouth. She put down her cutlery and pushed the plate away, the gesture going unnoticed around the table.

She craved for nothing more than the comfort of her simple apartment, curled up on her couch with her purple duvet brought to her chin. She had agreed to this dinner only because Katherine was travelling from Miami and the family hadn't been reunited for a few months. But celebrating her birthday? She would have been fine skipping that part.

She had this thing about birthdays. Katherine adored them and reveled in being showered with gifts and attention on their "special day". For Elena, it was an entirely different story. Around July 7 every year, she became haunted.

Haunted by a vision that had formed in her mind when she was a teenager and that had never once failed to torment her on her birthday. The thought of it only made her grow more uneasy. Her life the way it was today had nothing to do with that vision.

As she closed her eyes, she imagined herself sitting at a piano with _him_. She pictured them kissing. She thought of his hand rubbing against her rounded belly. That's what her life should have been like. Nothing like this stupid dinner.

Elena opened her eyes and put her arms around herself.

"What about you, sis'? Anyone special?"

"Wh-what?"

"Darling, have you even been listening?" Miranda said.

Elena felt attacked and responded with equal force.

"Yes, I actually have," she snapped. "Katherine is dating a model named Edison who got her a bracelet, hasn't she?"

She turned to her sister.

"Good for you, congratulations!"

"His name is Elijah, he's a photographer and he gave me a ring, but thank you. So much. Really."

Elena sighed and was about to apologize when their father called them to order. He hated seeing them arguing. He hated arguments altogether.

The conversation resumed around the table.

"This boy must be pretty smitten if he's ready to give you that kind of ring after just six months," Miranda marveled.

"Ah, what can I say? I'm a catch and he knows it!"

Katherine and the parent laughed, but Grayson kept a worried eye on Elena, who'd closed her eyes again. Despite her best efforts, her mind whisked her away to another place, foreign and familiar at once, where she finally freed herself from her chains. When would she be brave enough? Would she ever?

Elena sensed tears coming up. The wave of emotion was so intense that she wasn't sure she would be able to contain it. By now, her family was used to her "birthday antics", as her mother said, but it was different tonight. She wouldn't be able to hold back, this year. After tonight, there would be no going back.

* * *

 _New York, NY_

Grace was asleep, now. Jeremy and Bonnie were sitting on the couch, watching a movie without really watching it, their minds in the same place, thinking about the same person: Elena.

"How long has it been since Elena saw Gracie?"

Jeremy groaned. Bonnie had a way of asking him the most foolish questions when she wanted to initiate a serious conversation that just got him riled up from the start.

"You know how long," he answered, dark.

"Yeah. Last time was five years ago when Gracie was born," she said. "Now tell me this: how long are you planning to let things go on like this?"

"Until Lena can fly back here."

Bonnie huffed at him.

"Because that worked out so great last time, right? You could just go and visit her, Jeremy."

"With what money?"

"You _know_ what money."

Jeremy got up from the couch, dismissing her with an angry wave of the hand. He went to stand behind the kitchen counter, his eyes fixated on the television.

"You don't understand," he said.

Bonnie didn't bother looking at him.

"Then explain it to me."

"That's family business, Bonnie."

The young woman bit her lip and nodded, accepting the low blow. Neither of them moved for a moment.

"That… that's not what I meant," Jeremy said, his voice softer. "You're Elena's best friend, you're family, too. Sorry."

"Elena's best friend, eh? Okay. I think it's time for me to go home."

"Don't be like that, now. I said I'm sorry, didn't I?"

"I have an early shift at the hospital tomorrow."

Bonnie got up from the couch, grabbed her scrubs and her bag. She couldn't believe that's all she was to Jeremy, "Elena's best friend". The fact that he kept disrespecting their relationship was beginning to get under her skin and she had better things to do, especially if he was going to say sorry and not even try to stop her from leaving.

When she reached the door, she turned to face him. His face was unreadable.

"If you had the money, would you go and fix this mess?"

"I'd go to her. Not her family. Not after what they've done."

Bonnie snorted; she knew he would say that. With yet another sigh, she dropped a brown envelope on the small table in the lobby.

"Tickets for you and Grace. For a quick trip to Mystic Falls next month. Make it work."

Before he could say another word, she slammed the door behind her.

 **A/N: Well, well, looks like a reunion is about to happen! Any guesses as to how Jeremy got money but doesn't want to use it? And of course, we have the mysterious "him" from Elena's vision: who might that be? Thanks for reading. I'll love you even more if you review. From Paris, with love - M.**


	5. Crossroads - Part 4

**Crossroads – Part 4**

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

After his run-in with Matt, Clancy was more restless than ever, even if nothing showed on the outside. He locked the door behind him and his parents and let himself drop in a chair. Today was the most defining moment of his life; him finally taking control of his destiny. He was glad his parents were there, even though it was unlikely they would support him. He looked up to find them frowning at him.

"What?" he said.

"That is no way to treat your oldest friend, Damon," Lily said.

"Your mother's right, boy. We raised you better than that."

Clancy snorted. They did raise him better than making decisions without their approval first and their annoyance only came from that. They wouldn't have cared if he had gotten into it with Matt, as long as he had warned them first.

"Matt hasn't been my friend in a long time. We're barely even co-workers."

Lily sighed and pulled out her smartphone. Was she missing something big about the date? She kept a clear schedule of everything her family and herself were doing at all times – which could prove challenging with her son's insane lifestyle – and she couldn't remember anything relating to July 7.

She carefully browsed through her calendar. There was Elijah's hip appointment in three days, Damon's hair dye the day before, her own mani-pedi appointment the day after…but nothing for July 7.

She waved the phone in the air.

"We're your parents, so what's your excuse for not telling _us_ about the circus you have going on here?"

"Come on, Mom," Clancy smirked. "We all know you love surprises!"

Lily huffed and went to sit. There was no talking to this boy when he got like that.

Those were exactly Giuseppe's thoughts as he observed his son's relaxed demeanor. All jokes and smiles, Damon seemed perfectly at peace. Which meant something big was about to happen. Something bad. And suddenly, Giuseppe figured it out.

"Son, where is your ring?"

All members of Golden Arrows wore the same ring with the letters "GA" engraved in it. They wore it on their right hands and there was no trace of it on Clancy's finger. The man simply smirked in response to his father.

"Call this off," Giuseppe said. "Right now."

"You never believed I could make one good decision in my life, did you?"

"Will somebody just tell me what on Earth is going on here? Giuseppe? Damon?"

"It's show time!" Clancy answered.

He jumped to his feet and punched the air several times, like a fighter about to enter the ring. As he headed to the door, his father strongly grabbed his arm. Clancy looked down on his old man and disengaged himself slowly.

Even though she didn't understand what was happening, Lily gave Clancy a kiss on the cheek.

"Good luck, sweetheart," she breathed. "Whatever you're planning to say up there, we'll support you."

"Don't encourage him, Lily," Giuseppe said angrily.

Clancy huffed, shook his head and left.

* * *

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

Elena still had her eyes closed, tears threatening to overflow. She focused on her breathing as the conversation between Katherine and Miranda continued, while Grayson kept silent. She could feel his protective gaze upon her.

She jumped when her phone starting ringing. She had put it under her thigh during dinner in case Bonnie texted her or something came up with work. Lawyers like her, sharks, didn't have office hours. But it was Jeremy calling. When she saw his picture, she hurriedly slid her finger across the screen to accept the call and make the photo go away before Katherine could see it. Sadly, she wasn't fast enough.

The twins exchanged a brief look, but Katherine didn't say anything. Another question added to the list, she thought as her sister got up.

"I've got to take this," Elena said. "It's work. Excuse me."

She ran off to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. At the other end of the line, Jeremy simply shook his head when he heard her pathetic excuse; she could have said it was Bonnie, it would have been more plausible. But the most important was that she got away from her family to talk, he reminded himself.

"Hey," Elena whispered.

"Hey. Happy birthday."

"Yeah, thanks. I'm still at that stupid dinner, can't talk for long. Is everything alright?"

"Gracie is alright, yes."

"You know I hate when you call her that," Elena sighed. "And what about you?"

"Bonnie just… she just gave me two tickets to Mystic Falls, out of nowhere."

Elena frowned. Mystic Falls? Why was everyone so obsessed with that small town all of a sudden?

"What for?" she asked.

"For us to be together. Can you get away from Atlanta for a couple of days?"

Elena closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Finally, a light at the end of the tunnel. No matter what happened tonight, she knew she would be seeing Jeremy and Grace soon. That was just what she needed.

"When?" she asked with a teary smile.

Later, when she came back to the living-room, she headed straight to the couch, deciding this farce of a meal was over for her.

"Who was that?" Katherine asked. "You seem pretty shook."

Elena glared at her before sitting and putting her head between her hands. She just realized what Jeremy and Grace's visit meant: she would have to lie. She hated lies. She began pulling at her dress again. All those secrets were suffocating her; she needed to unburden herself. At least, as much as she could.

She began crying softly.

"I quit my job today," she whispered, barely audible. "I had to."

No one heard her, but as they passed her lips, the words seemed to lift some of the weight that was crushing her chest since she had walked into the living room. For the first time in many birthdays, the answers appeared clearly to her.

"You said it was a work call?" Miranda pushed. "If I'd taken my job that seriously, I would have driven myself insane, darling."

Miranda laughed softly. Katherine imitated her simply for appearances. Grayson frowned at them, making them stop immediately.

"What's wrong, Elena?" he asked.

She finally looked up, not trying to hide her tears. She went back to the table, next to Katherine.

"I quit my job today", she mumbled.

Katherine touched her hand to Elena's arm, her nails grazing her bare skin.

"What did you say, Lena?"

"My name is Elena, damn it!" she said, slamming her hand on the wooden table.

Grayson and Miranda exchanged a patient glance, preparing themselves to ride out another storm. Elena could feel their silent disapproval weighting on her. She feared it wouldn't be long before they said something. But worse, she feared she would start saying things she'd never be able to take back.

"Do you have to ruin our birthday every year?" Katherine sighed, leaning in to grab the bottle of wine and pour herself a refill.

That's when Elena understood. They wouldn't take her seriously. They would dismiss it as one of her tantrums and tell her she'd feel better tomorrow.

The realization sped up her heartbeat some more, making it almost painful now. She brutally felt cold and wrapped her arms around herself, abandoning the dinner table for the couch again. She sat, hiding her face between her hands. Her dress felt like it was trying to suffocate her; she wanted to rip it to shreds. She wanted to rip everything to shreds.

Grayson got up to sit next to his daughter and started rubbing circles on her back. She leaned into him, crying profusely for a while. But something snapped in her and she took her distance, becoming detached. She wiped her face, smearing mascara and lipstick all over her cheeks. Her voice was cold when she spoke.

"I quit my job today."

Miranda gasped.

"Did something happen? I'll make some calls, move you to a Mystic Falls-based firm."

"What is it with you and Mystic Falls, Miranda?" Grayson exclaimed. "Uh?"

"Not now, Grayson."

Elena went back to the table and sat next to her mother, this time.

"I don't want to be a lawyer, Mom."

"But you are, sweetheart," Grayson soothed. "You've been a lawyer since you finished school."

"I hate it," she dismissed. "This job, this life. It's not what I want."

Silence seemed to solidify around Elena as she realized the words she had just uttered and the consequence they would have. She took a deep breath and decided she would not back down, this time.

Katherine had been the only one to stay quiet. She felt guilt slithering up her insides as she realized it was more than the usual breakdown, this time. She grabbed her sister's hand over the table.

"Tell me what you want, Elena. I'll cancel my flight back. I'll stay with you and we can – "

"No. I want to be alone."

Miranda saw this as her opportunity to strike. It would make Grayson further suspicious but he would never go against Elena's wishes and needs. So she took a deep breath and tried to sound natural.

"Maybe you need a change of scenery."

Elena saw this as her opportunity to get away. It wouldn't make anyone suspicious if, in the middle of a life crisis, she took her mother's advice and left town for a few days, would it? She took a deep breath and tried her very best to sound detached and exhausted.

"Mystic Falls sounds nice," she said shyly.

"I'll arrange everything, baby girl."

"Thanks, Mom."

Grayson went to the couch as his wife and daughter comforted Elena, frowning.

* * *

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

The crowd of journalists was running out of patience in the tiny conference room. They were looking left, right and center, searching for any kind of movement. The loud chatter came to an end when Clancy finally made his appearance, alone.

"Good evening, everyone," he said with a charming smile. "I made you wait a little bit, yeah? Sorry about that."

The journalists all smiled, male and female both under the spell. It was the way he carried himself; you just had to look at him and smile back. It was automatic. He had figured that out years ago and never failed to play it to his advantage.

He reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and took out flashcards that he waved at the small crowd.

"My publicist has this amazing speech she wrote for me," he explained. "She says I'm not known for being loquacious. And she's right, because 'loquacious' isn't a word I even use."

Laughter echoed in the room. Alaric and the four other members of Golden Arrows, as well as Clancy's parents, entered the room and formed a line against the wall to Clancy's right. Their arrival distracted the journalists for a second and the photographers began snapping pictures.

"I have my own way of saying this, though," Clancy continued. "I'll keep it short and sweet."

He paused for a second to catch his breath. Nervousness always passed as cockiness from him but he didn't want that for today. So he pretended – he had gotten surprisingly good at that lately – he was just rehearsing in front of his mirror, looking at a point above everyone's head, straight in front of him.

"After ten years in a band, you start thinking… Our last world tour _Incubus_ was an incredible success and I love the record, but…it's not music I relate to anymore. So I have decided to leave Golden Arrows, effective immediately. Out of respect for our fans and for myself."

A murmur ran across the room. Clancy looked around to gauge everyone's reaction. His parents were shaking their heads (as predicted), Alaric was literally gasping for air and the boys' face were unreadable. They had been media-trained enough to know better than giving the press any genuine reaction to such a nuclear announcement.

The journalists were already shouting a dozen questions; Clancy was unbothered, he simply raised his voice.

"I have no doubt that my friends and now former bandmates will keep going as a four-piece and give our fans the music they love to hear. As for me… it's time to settle down here, in my hometown, to explore the alternative and make music that I love to hear. I will be on the lookout for new representation soon. This is not the last you have heard of me."

The roaring noise of questions began again.

"I'll take one question. Miss Andie Starr, you have the floor."

Andie stood up, her face flabbergasted. She and Clancy had a brief thing not so long ago; she never felt like he didn't like GA's music.

"That was a nice non-speech but I want to ask you… _why_?"

Clancy snorted and gestured to his attire, pointed to his hair and shrugged.

"That's why. This isn't me," he said. "Thank you all for coming. Good night."

He stepped off the stand with a pep in his step, the hint of a smile floating over his lips. He had finally done it. Broken his chains. He was free.

He went towards his entourage. Everyone was still too stunned to react, except for Tyler, the youngest member of the band, who punched Clancy in the face. Alaric immediately stepped between the two, but Clancy raised his hands in appeasement. He let out a frank laugh.

Lily rushed to him with a tissue for his bleeding nose and ushered him out of the room, Giuseppe on their heels.

 **A/N: So all Hell broke loose in this chapter! Elena quit her job and is going to Mystic Falls, where Clancy/Damon has announced he's going to fly solo... Everybody seems to break free from their chains, but... why does Miranda want Elena in Mystic Falls so badly? Ideas?** **Until next Wednesday! Thank you for reading xx M.**


	6. Crossroads - Part 5

**Crossroads – Part 5**

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

"You shouldn't drink so much coffee. It's bad for your heart."

The tension from the night before hadn't diffused. Grayson had barely slept, trying to replay the past few weeks to see what Mystic Falls meant to Miranda and why it was so important that Elena went there. Also, the secret phone calls – who was she talking to that he couldn't know about? Because it wasn't work, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that. So why did she want to keep those conversations secret? Grayson was determined to find out this morning or pack his bag and go until she told him the truth.

"You know what's bad for my heart, Miranda?" Grayson replied. "Lies."

"Not after the night we've had, darling, please."

Grayson hummed.

"Darling," he said. "And what do you call him? That guy from Mystic Falls I share you with."

Miranda couldn't help a soft laugh. Grayson had never been the jealous type. When she was courted by men of power who offered her a world she didn't care to have handed to her, he had quietly watched from a distance, secure in their relationship enough to find amusement in this incessant temptation. Seeing this new possessive side of him reassured Miranda somehow. Maybe he would love her enough to forgive her for all of it, in time.

"That's funny to you, eh? You won't be laughing when I pack my bags and go."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Let's not get – I think I am entitled to get ahead of myself when my wife is cheating on me, damn it!"

"There is no other man, Grayson," she said truthfully. "Never has been."

Grayson paused, examining her face. Could it be that she was being honest?

"Who are you whispering on the phone to, then?"

Miranda took a deep breath, pondering whether or not to tell him. Everything would be over soon, but it would be the start of a new set of issues – she might as well have help to prepare the girls. But how much to reveal?

"Marcel," she confessed. "It's Marcel."

"Our old Head of security from New York, Marcel?"

Miranda nodded. Grayson put down his cup of coffee, pushing it to the side, a look of disbelief on his face. What did Marcel Gerard had to do with all of this?

"Why are you still in touch with him? What is he doing for you?"

"He is… looking after someone."

"Who?"

"You'll want something stronger than coffee."

* * *

Elena was lying in her bed, her mind replaying the events from the night before. Her dress, the disgusting lobster, her hand slamming on the table, her tears, her father consoling her, her sister taking her head. Jeremy and Mystic Falls, her mother offering her an out.

She grabbed a pillow and put it over her face, screaming into it. It was a scream of relief, of genuine happiness. She had broken free, at last. She would be seeing Grace soon and life would be nothing she didn't want it to be anymore. She began dancing like a child, throwing her legs in the air, the pillow still over her face.

She was interrupted when her phone rang. She checked the caller ID, dreading a call from work. Her boss would try to get her back and she wasn't ready to have that conversation just yet, but it was Bonnie. They hadn't had a proper conversation in a while and it had been weighing on Elena's mood.

She had no problem owning up to the fact that emotion ruled her life. It had proven to be a liability at times, especially when her mother's duty demanded the family to pack up and move to another country. Longing was too painful; her heart wasn't tailored to miss people. So after a while, she had simply learned to let go.

Her friends from around the world, each tied to a distinctive period of her life, had become distant acquaintances; people she liked, but didn't love. People she appreciated, but no longer needed. All of them, except for Bonnie. They were nine when they met in school, in New York. It was a wonder to Elena how their bond had survived two decades, the moves and the changes that came with life itself.

She slid her finger across the screen and activated the speaker.

"Hey girl," her friend said. "Give me all the deets."

"I'm fine."

"And the family? Did you snatch Kat's wig?"

"They're fine," Elena smiled. "Her wig too."

"On a scale of 'I had a little cry' to 'I called out my mother for loving my sister more', how bad was it?"

Elena smiled. She did have a serious history of birthday breakdowns. Bonnie always called the morning after to cheer her up, but there was no need, this time.

"Well… on that same scale, where do you put 'I quit my job and I'm moving to Mystic Falls for God-knows-how-long'?"

"You did _what_ , now?"

"Yeah. I couldn't do it anymore. I want –"

"A different life, I know."

"I'll be far enough from my parents, Katherine decided to go back to Miami this morning so…it's just going to be me, myself and I to figure this out and it sounds like Heaven."

There was a short silence before Bonnie spoke again.

"So you're jobless."

"Yup."

"Lucky you're loaded; you have time to figure out your next move."

"Yup."

"You going to try the music thing?"

Now there was an awkward silence as Elena thought of that image in her mind, of her and _him_ sitting at the piano.

"Lena, are you there?"

"Yes."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Never mind. I meant to call to say thanks so much for the plane tickets. Do you need me to chip in?"

"No. That was my birthday present to you. You guys need to spend time together. Maybe now that you're an open book, you could tell Katherine and –"

"She'd tell Mom and Dad. Jeremy is not ready for that."

"Will he ever be, honestly?"

"He's made it clear it's none of my concern."

"So you got that too, uh?" Bonnie snorted. "'That's family business, Bonnie'".

"He said that to you? I'll talk to him."

"Don't. I pushed him a little too hard, that's all."

Elena sighed, guilt eating her up.

"Sorry I let you deal with all the mess over there."

"You owe me, that's for sure. And I will collect when you're a big music mogul."

Elena laughed.

"I never said anything about music."

"But that's my price, though. Find yourself a job that makes you fly me over and introduce me to Golden Arrows."

Bonnie's favorite band. They had a wild success worldwide, for a reason that remained unknown to Elena. Their music was everything she didn't quite like; the five of them took themselves too seriously with their obscure lyrics and impossibly heavy production. Half a world away from the acoustic, pop sound that Elena lived for. Also, once she began going on about them, Bonnie was unstoppable.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work, Bonnie?"

"Nurses get a break every now and then, you know," Bonnie countered. "Something huge happened for the band last night."

"You say that every time, you know."

"This time, it could be huge for you, silly. Clancy left the band, he's looking for representation!"

"Which one is that again?"

"White hair bloke."

"Hmm."

Elena tried to summon his face to memory. He was the one she liked the least; he looked cold and entitled.

"We just made a pact," Bonnie announced. "So you better get to them job offers."

"A pact is a pact, Bonnie," Elena laughed. "The second I lay my eyes on them, I'll fly you first class and get you on their crew. Those vampires need to make sure they're draining their fans of healthy blood."

"I'd fight you, but it's time for my rounds. I don't want my attending to be up my butt all day. Got to go."

Elena sat up and grabbed her phone, turning off the speaker.

"Thank you for calling, Bonnie. I really appreciate everything you're doing for me. For us."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," her friend dismissed jokingly. "I'm happy you finally broke your chains, Lena. I really am."

"Thank you."

Elena hung up and put her phone down with a moved smile. She turned over with a sigh, her mood shifting. She retrieved the broken frame from under her mattress. She carefully removed the photograph from the frame and held it against her hear as she dived back into bed. Should she try "the music thing", at least for _him_?

"I miss you…" she whispered.

* * *

"Grayson… say something."

Grayson was sitting on the couch, a glass of Bourbon in his hand. His eyes were empty, staring into the void. Miranda had just shattered his life, she was well-aware of that, so she was standing at a safe distance, unsure of whether it was reasonable to get any closer.

Grayson wanted to say something, but his lips remained sealed, his hands shaking. In his side vision, he saw Miranda taking a careful step towards him. How had she pulled this off? Where did she find the courage to be so cold and cruel? His eyes darted towards her and she froze; he must have had a crazy look about him.

"Grayson, I'm begging you."

Something in her sentence jolted him out of his numbness.

"Begging?" he thundered. "Now you want to beg! For what? Woman, have you lost your damn mind?"

He sent his glass to shatter against the family portrait above the chimney. Even though it was not remotely in her general direction, Miranda took a few steps back until she reached their bedroom door. She had never been afraid of Grayson before; her face was horrified and he couldn't bring himself to be sorry or calm down.

He feverishly gestured at the portrait.

" _You_ decided that there would only be four of us on this picture."

"Grayson, please… I did this for our family."

The determination in her eyes drained him of all energy. She truly was believing her own nonsense. He went back to sit on the couch. The wave of anger now gone, all there was left was bitterness, disappointment and mostly betrayal.

"This hasn't been a family for ten years, thanks to you. It's – it's been a mockery. A masquerade."

Miranda refused to let him put the blame on her. If he knew everything, he would understand that at the time, she had no other choice.

"We did what we had to do to protect everyone."

"Ah. 'We'. You and Marcel?"

That riled Grayson up again. He walked up to Miranda in a few strides before she could react and grabbed her by the shoulders, his fingers digging into her flesh. She grimaced from the pain, realizing he was angry and wounded.

"I am your husband. Your damn husband, Miranda! When this happens, you come to _me_!"

"I needed a professional. There's nothing you could have done."

"I could have done anything you'd have asked of me," he yelled. "Anything for you, for better or worse. That's the oath we took."

Miranda said nothing. When he noticed the look of pain on her face and the tears on her cheeks, Grayson realized she was scared. That was absurd. He would never physically harm her. He let go of her and took a step back to stop invading her personal space. He was surprised to find that he was crying, too. He furiously wiped his cheeks with the back of his hands while Miranda stood there, her head held high, more tense than ever.

"I have to get ready to go," she reminded coldly.

A bitter chuckle escaped Grayson's lips.

"More business meetings, yes."

"I told you these next few weeks would be busy."

"Are you planning to tell the girls about this?" he suddenly said.

"We'll discuss this when I get back tonight, Grayson."

Using the arm that was behind her back, she opened the bedroom door, went in and closed it immediately behind her. Grayson flinched when he heard her lock it.

"I might not be there when you come back," he yelled at the door.

On the other side of the door, Miranda closed her eyes with a sigh. She made sure the door was properly locked and went to grab her burner phone, quickly texting Marcel to meet her at the usual spot in four hours.

* * *

 _Miami, Florida_

It was done. After two days spent in the house tiptoeing around each other, alternatively falling into each other's arms and promising it was the last time, it was over. Katherine had found the courage to break Elijah's heart. Told him she didn't love him the way he loved her. Told him he deserved better. Told him everything she had told every single man before him.

Her breakup speech was damn near perfect now. With the right amount of self-blame, of compliments, of truth and lies to weave words together so that the cut was brutal but not too deep. It was Elijah's reaction that had surprised her; saying he had seen it coming.

And now… it was time to part ways for good.

"So… can I hug you goodbye?" Katherine asked shyly.

Elijah gave her a smile and opened his arms to her. For some reason, he could feel that this pained her more than him, even if he loved her and she didn't share his feelings. That woman was a mystery he would never get to solve, but he wanted them to part properly.

She snuggled up to him and they ended up sharing a long, bittersweet kiss.

When they broke apart, she took off the ring on her right hand and put it in his, closing his fingers on it.

"Keep it," he insisted, putting it back on her finger. "To remember there's hope for you to find what you're looking for."

"Thank you, Elijah" she whispered.

"For what, _ma belle_?"

"For staying two more days to help me pack and… for loving me."

Elijah smiled and swung his bag over his shoulder. He made his way through all of Katherine's boxes and bags, pausing only at the door to wave at her. She waved back through a teary smile.

The second he was gone, she fumbled for a party dress and her makeup bag. There was no way she would survive the night if she didn't get on the move. It was time to explore the alternative again. Before she had time to stop and think; that would only lead to breaking down and she had Elena to help for the time being. She couldn't afford her own breakdown.

* * *

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Clancy was lost in his thoughts when his phone rang. It was Sophie, the girl who dyed his hair and eyebrows every week. With a silent laugh, he rejected the call and blocked her number before putting his phone in "Do Not Disturb" mode. He looked back at his parents, who were obviously arguing about him. His headphones and the music he was listening to shielded him from their words, but he could very well imagine the conversation.

 _"_ _What's gotten into him?" Lily would say, throwing her hands in the air._

 _"_ _You're asking me? You're the one who said we'd support him no matter what, and now he's just thrown away the best thing that's ever happened to him!"_

 _"_ _This is insane, alright? He's a grown man, he can make his own decisions."_

 _"_ _And he always made the wrong ones when we weren't there to show him the way."_

 _"_ _That explains why he didn't tell us anything."_

 _"_ _You bet I would have talked him out of it. Leaving the band? Nonsense! What's he going to do? Go back to finish school, or be a model again? Better yet, be a salesman again, why not?"_

 _"_ _Giuseppe, stop it. We made him do all of this when all he ever wanted was music."_

 _"_ _Yes and look how that worked out for him."_

 _"_ _Well you live in a multi-million-dollar house and play golf every week instead of working, so I'd say it worked pretty well for_ you _at least."_

 _"_ _Oh, not this again, Lily,_ please!"

Clancy shook his head and decided to let them argue about him, his past jobs and his future. He went to the garage, took his guitar and started playing the tune that had been stuck in his head for days.

* * *

As she parked her car in Mystic Falls and saw Marcel standing in the distance, Miranda did her best to dry her tears with all the dignity she could muster. If Grayson didn't want to help, she'd do it all by herself, going on exactly as she had for the past decade. She didn't need anybody to hold her hand in this matter. She would follow the plan she and Marcel had made in New York and all would be just fine.

* * *

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

Grayson hadn't moved since Miranda left the house. He was still sitting on the couch, staring at that sorry excuse for a family portrait and crying with no restraint.

In the meantime, it was all laughs and smiles for Elena who was exchanging hugs and goodbyes with Kol and Jane before she got into her rental car - she had left hers with her mother - and drove off to Mystic Falls.

 **A/N: Well, well... I'm in a great mood today, so early update! Now Grayson knows something you don't, but he doesn't know everything. Any leads on what that might be? What do you think of Clancy/Damon's parents attitude towards his decision to leave the band? And finally... Katherine and Elijah broke up, boohoo. Any comments are welcome! Thanks for reading xx M.**


	7. Welcome to Mystic Falls - Part 1

**Welcome to Mystic Falls – Part 1**

Mystic Falls. Elena had hardly visited this town, even though she'd heard a lot of positive things about it. She had no problems with small towns, except for the fact that everyone knew everyone and she wasn't in a very social mood. She wanted to be alone to enjoy her new freedom and think.

She blinked several times and yawned, her eyes tired from the drive. She hadn't taken any breaks, too eager to get to the place she'd now be calling home. It was the first time in her life that she moved somewhere willingly, without her mother's job as a reason. This time, she hadn't given up on anything or anyone; she had gained power over her future. The thought was exhilarating.

As she exited her rental car and made a mental note to return it later, a woman bumped into her, her bag of groceries falling to the ground. Elena immediately knelt to pick up the items.

"I'm sorry," she muttered despite herself.

She needed to quit that habit of apologizing for everything. That woman had bumped into _her_ after all.

"Here," Elena said, offering a sheepish smile for a silent peace offering. The blonde barely mouthed her thanks and went on her way, her walk fast-paced.

"You have a nice day too, lady," Elena said, low enough not to be heard, unsure of what she had done to deserve such blatant contempt.

She shrugged it off as her gaze met the procession of people walking about. They formed one diverse crowd if she had ever seen one, but they all had something in common: they walked with the stride of those who had somewhere to be. Their feet pummeled the ground in rhythm, with purpose and slight haste. Not long ago, any stranger would have said the same about her as she marched through the streets of Atlanta.

Elena smiled, pleased that she no longer shared that trait. Time had always been her worst enemy, even more so during her time as a lawyer. But no more, she thought with a discreet smile as she got into her hotel. No more.

She swung her bag onto her shoulder with ease and congratulated herself on leaving her belongings behind. She hated luggage with a passion. Despite a childhood spent relocating from continent to continent, she had never quite mastered the art of packing. Every time they moved to a new city, she carefully picked a few items, gave the rest to a local charity and started over wherever they landed next. She would do the same here. Her sister had told before she left: Mystic Falls was the perfect place to build up a new wardrobe, polish her style and become someone else.

Focusing back on her current situation, she looked down at her phone and sighed. She'd been using the same one for three years now; the touch screen was cracked in the top left corner and incredibly slow to respond. The brand had released at least four upgraded versions, but Elena resented the habit of discarding something that functioned well for something that functioned better. However, she decided she would get a brand new phone today.

For the time being, she realized that Katherine hadn't returned her text, that Jeremy was busy working and couldn't talk and that Bonnie would only be free in the evening. Which left…only her parents to call.

She looked for her mother's number in her Contact book. She hadn't updated it for a while, so she had four different mobile numbers. She tried the third one, only to have her mother's secretary tell her she was unavailable.

Well, she thought, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Her family's schedules rarely matched, but she had foolishly hoped they would have cleared some time for her, just today. She was at the dawn of a new era and she needed to feel supported. But then again, she should have known better than to expect it from her mother, even though she had been the one to suggest this Mystic Falls getaway.

Putting that thought away, Elena checked her email to find that none of the people she had contacted for jobs had gotten back to her. She had always found it rude, the way people did that. Left you waiting for a "no" and hoping for a "yes" while you could have been devoting your energy to the next best thing.

Elena suddenly heard soft notes of piano emerging from the bar/restaurant called the Mystic Grill. It was enough to disrupt the stream of her thoughts. She entered the venue, looking for the source of the music. Her face brightened when she caught a glimpse of a teenage boy bent over the keys, his backpack stuck between his knees. He was playing _The Spin_ by Greg Haines. It enveloped her in the warmth she was longing for.

It reminded her of the last time she had played the piano herself. For _him._ It was _Songbird_ by Fleetwood Mac…

She was called back to reality by the applause of the crowd that had gathered around the young pianist. Elena elbowed her way through them to speak to him.

"What's your name?" she asked with a soft smile.

"Erm… it's Ray," the kid answered, visible wondering why it was so important for her to find out.

"Raymond?"

He nodded.

"It comes from the German, but I prefer the meaning straight from the English. A beam of light."

"Erm…alright?"

"Thank you. It was beautiful, what you played."

Elena looked above his head and noticed a group of boys his age making fun of him. The kid nearly ran away from her. She muttered apologies he didn't hear and stumbled on her own feet when she went on her way. She sighed. Hopefully this new start would be the occasion for her to get rid of her clumsiness.

As she stepped out of the Grill to light her first Mystic Falls cigarette, she felt her phone buzz in the back pocket of her bag. She used her teeth to keep the cigarette from falling, but she dropped her lighter and did her best to get her phone before she missed the call.

It was her father. She hooked her bag on her shoulder, freed her mouth and slid her thumb across the touch screen.

"Dad," she breathed with relief.

"Elena, dear," Grayson greeted. "Did you get there safely?"

"Yes. I would have called but everyone seemed busy."

"Never too busy for you, baby girl."

Elena closed her eyes and her shoulders sagged with relief. Her father's voice always had that effect on her, although he seemed a tad strange, today.

She began walking without purpose, letting the stream of people carry her to a deserted bus stop. She sat on the bench.

"Aren't you working, Dad?"

"We can stay on the phone all day if you need. You sound nervous."

"I am, a bit. A lot."

"Having second thoughts?"

"What if I am?" she said, biting her lip afterwards, one eye closed.

At the other end of the line, Grayson laughed softly. He would gladly sign another lease for her in Atlanta in a heartbeat if she asked him to. There was always space to go wrong in his book; he was a fierce believer in the educational virtue of mistakes. He prided himself on never making his daughters feel ashamed if they made a bad choice. Katherine had benefitted from that trait more often than Elena, but still.

"I'm scared, Dad. I haven't really thought this through."

Elena was using her little girl voice today, which was quite unusual for a woman with her strength of character. Much like him, she was tailored to plan and organize. Structure provided them safety. But Grayson was thrilled that she, contrary to him, had found the courage – and the necessary spark of crazy – to break with the linear life she was leading.

"Not everything must be planned, Elena," Grayson said. "You, of all people, have to let life give you good surprises."

"How about it surprises me with a job, then?"

Grayson laughed.

"Speaking of, Camille O'Connell agreed to meet with you."

Elena almost choked on the smoke of her cigarette.

"Camille O'Connell? _The_ Camille O'Connell?"

"The one and only."

Camille O'Connell was the co-founder of O'Connell & Mikaelson, the only talent agency in Mystic Falls. She and Grayson had briefly crossed paths a few months back, when he was writing a feature on her agency's latest athlete client. But what interested Elena was the Music division. OCM had opened theirs four months ago and it was already drawing attention from all the right people in bigger cities.

As for Elena, she couldn't become a music agent without qualification; even in her frenzy for change, she hadn't forgotten that detail. The only open position at the moment would make her Camille's assistant. The hours would be long, the tasks perhaps nerve-wracking and the pay significantly lower than what she was used to, but… it was a first step in the right direction. All of Camille's previous assistants had become Junior agents.

"How?!" she choked.

"Well, your mother is not the only one with friends in high places," Grayson said bitterly.

"I hope she's not too angry with you for making the call."

Grayson snorted this time. Miranda being angry at him would be the last straw, really. As if she could afford herself that luxury at the moment.

"Apparently, the new policy in this house is that what you don't know can't hurt you, so I ain't going to tell her."

Elena frowned. She wasn't so sure she wanted to know what was going on between her parents but between the odd atmosphere during the birthday dinner and now her father's comments, something was definitely going on.

"Dad? What's wrong? She'll be furious, won't she?"

"I made calls for your sister when she moved to Miami."

"Katherine didn't throw away a promising career on a whim, she 'explored the alternative' for the billionth time, it's not the same. Mum will kill us both if she finds out, you've got to tell her."

"Leave your mother to me. Are you at your hotel?"

"No, I'll go and try to find a taxi."

Grayson laughed. Elena often had these moments, even as a child. She would begin something and get terribly distracted, too caught up in a feeling to get on with a task. But what Grayson found most fascinating about his daughter was that, no matter how long the interruption, Elena never failed to return to her initial goal to achieve it. That was one of the reasons why she'd been a good lawyer.

That and the way she saw things. She was the one who'd told him that Katherine always licked her lips before telling a lie. She had also observed that if Miranda stared at her nails when she was upset, it was in a vain attempt at not biting them. She often teased him about the way he frowned when the girls said they didn't need any money. Elena saw people in details that she kept stored in her mind, ready to use them to her advantage at the appropriate time. She would have made a brilliant journalist, if she'd been gifted with words.

"I'll leave you to it, then. Take good care of yourself, yes?"

"Yes, Dad. I will."

"This is your chance at having the life you always dreamed of, so… no more tears, alright? Promise me."

"I promise. Thank you for everything," Elena said, her eyes becoming watery. "I love you."

She cut the call short before a wave of emotion overwhelmed her. She walked back towards the Grill, drawn to the line of taxis parked along the sidewalk. As she approached, a handsome young Black man leaning against his car nodded to the cigarette butt she was still holding.

"Bad habits die hard, yeah?"

"Tell me about it. Would you be free to –"

Another man, an older version of the first one, emerged from the taxi. He gave Elena a crooked smile, making her like him instantly. Her guess was that they were father and son; they looked alike, just like… No. She would not think about that. Not today. Today was only about her.

"Stealing my clients, are we, young man?" the older man said.

"I was just chatting, papa, come on!"

Elena smiled, congratulating herself on a good guess. She turned to the father.

"That's true, sir," she said. "But if you'd care to drive me to my hotel, I'd be very grateful."

"Where to?"

When she gave the name of the neighborhood, she saw father and son exchange a look. She got that often; they were probably wondering how a girl like her could afford a hotel in the chicest part of Mystic Falls.

"Mind if this one hops on with us?" the driver said, pointing to his son.

"Not at all!"

Luka rushed to open the passenger door for Elena and sat in the front with his father. Jonas turned the music down so they could make conversation.

"So… business or pleasure?" Luka asked.

"None of your business, that's what. Excuse him, miss."

Elena laughed.

"It's okay. I'm here to look for a job."

"Good luck with that," Ali said.

Jonas gave him a light slap on the back of his head.

"I'm sure she's got plenty of interviews already, yeah, love?"

"One. It's a start," Elena said, her stomach fluttering at the thought of meeting the legendary Camille O'Connell.

"By the way, you never gave me the name of your hotel."

"Erm… just give me a second," she mumbled, reaching for her phone. "I've got the address somewhere."

"Take your time," the man smiled.

She feverishly browsed through her archive of text messages to find the one her mother had sent the night before. The name of that hotel had them exchanging the same look as before.

Luka whistled.

"Fancy!"

"Oh, my mother chose it, not me. I would never… It's so…"

"Fancy," Luka insisted.

That place wouldn't have been her first choice, but she didn't have a say in the matter. Elena had enough savings to live comfortably for months, but her mother had decided to take care of her accommodation until she found "a decent job". Since it was the only help she agreed to provide, Elena went with it. She knew to expect something grand and extravagant, but still.

Miranda Gilbert went for the best in all things – with good reason – and expected the same from those close to her. That was one of the reasons why she and Katherine had grown so close lately; the two relished in this lifestyle of glitter and glamour. But Elena? Not so much. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate luxury or that she took it for granted; more that she had grown desensitized to it with years.

Their family did well enough that she didn't have to concern herself with money and for that, she was grateful. It was precisely why she was now free to choose a fulfilling career path over one that kept bread on the table. But a suite in the most expensive hotel in town? Honestly. Sometimes, she wondered if her mother didn't do such things on purpose.

Poor little rich girl, Elena thought to herself, get it together. She had bigger issues than sleeping in a four-star hotel that Mommy had paid for.

"Yes," she said to Luka. "Too fancy."

"Then why d'you say yes?"

"She didn't exactly ask. She's the kind of person who loves everything pretty and expensive."

"Would she consider adopting me?"

"Luka…" Jonas warned.

Elena laughed and got lost in her thoughts as father and son bickered harmlessly. She hadn't been in Mystic Falls in years, even though she had meant to. She liked the small town atmosphere where everyone knew everyone and looked out for each other. Maybe living here would help her feel less lonely.

"First time in Mystic Falls, dear?" Jonas asked.

"First time like this, yeah."

"Well, we're here," he announced.

Luka immediately rushed out of the car to get Elena's door and she smiled at him. She went to the driver's side and gave Jonas a $50 note, dismissing him when he tried to give her the change.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Something wrong?"

"No. I was just wondering if you'd tell me your name."

Frowning, the driver smiled.

"It's Jonas."

"Oh! It's from the Hebrew 'dove'. It's lovely."

Jonas leaned in to get something from the glove department. He retrieved a business card and scribbled his personal number behind it.

"Call me anytime you need a ride."

"Thanks. It's been nice to meet you, Jonas."

"I'm Luka, in case you're interested!"

Elena laughed frankly. His constant need for attention reminded her of Katherine; they'd be a match in Heaven.

"Nice to meet you too, Luka. Named after Saint Luke… Your parents did you a favor with that name."

Luka caressed the top of his head in a mock seductive gesture.

"A saint, uh? Clearly me to a tee."

"And what's your name, lady?" Jonas asked.

"Elena. It comes from…"

"The Greek. Like the beautiful Helen of Troy."

"I know more than one fella who'd start a war for someone like you, yeah," Luka concurred.

Elena blushed and lowered her eyes, not knowing how to respond to the compliment.

In the meantime, Clancy, followed by his parents, exited the hotel, visibly in a rush. Clancy gestured for his parents to get into the black limousine waiting for them; one of the privilege his label hadn't yet revoked. Giuseppe and Lily were going to catch a flight in Atlanta and take a tropical vacation somewhere. Clancy didn't want them hovering while he rebuilt himself.

"I'm so sorry, M. Mikaelson," he said on the phone as his parents got into the car. "I'll be there as soon as – ah, wait, there's a taxi right here."

As he ran towards Jonas' car, he bumped into Elena, causing them both to tumble down…he on top of her. Clancy immediately jumped to his feet and held out his hand to help Elena up. She glared at him and got up without his help.

The contact between their bodies was brief, but Elena felt her heart beat faster. His face looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Have we met?" she asked.

"Possibly. Which show was it?"

"Excuse me?"

"Which show did you attend?"

Confusion was painted all over Elena's face. His hair was incredibly distracting. Who could pull off white hair and still look as dashing? She frowned, trying to remember who he was.

"You know what? Never mind. Next time, just watch your step."

Clancy gave her his signature puppy eyes.

"Sorry, sweetheart, I didn't see you there. I was trying to get to that cab real fast."

"I'm not your sweetheart. And you can't have that taxi. It's mine."

"I just saw you get out and pay!"

Clancy threw a pleading glance at Jonas that was a clear call for masculine solidarity. Luka folded his arms across his chest, waiting to see that play out; there was nothing his father hated more than macho men.

"The lady is right. I'm her personal chauffeur. Not driving anybody else. Sorry, buddy."

Jonas winked at Elena, who couldn't help a giggle. Luka got into the car. He, Jonas and Elena exchanged their goodbyes, leaving Clancy dumbfounded. He sighed and picked up his phone again.

"Can we reschedule? Tomorrow morning? Thanks."

* * *

 _Miami, Florida_

Katherine exited the club, followed by a group of three Italian men, Pietro, Daniele and Angelo, all in their early twenties, who had spent the night in her company inside. She was wearing the tightest dress she owned, the highest heels she could endure and all the makeup in the world to conceal the way she really felt. She experienced no shame in admitting she looked outrageously hot and sexy; dressed to make heads turn when she entered the club. She needed that to make the pain go away. A night out alone was her thing after a breakup – and God knows she went through that process often.

" _Dai_ , you can't go _cosi,_ " Pietro said, his face contorting into a pleading grimace.

"Yes, stay with us, Katherine," Daniele concurred. "A little."

Katherine felt sorry for these poor guys, who had undoubtedly hopes she would not be fulfilling tonight. It wasn't fair game on her part, but she needed the pain to go away, drowned in loud music, alcohol and men wanting her. Yes. Feeling wanted was all she ever needed to make her feel better about herself.

Angelo, seeing as she was hesitating, tried his luck and handed her his glass of champagne.

"For all the night, it is fun, _si? Te le prometto._ "

Katherine tilted her head, giving the three of them a bright smile. Their need for her was like an addiction and she was just about high in this moment. But she didn't want to overdose; not tonight. Not when she needed to pack her bags and move to Mystic Falls to help Elena out of her early midlife crisis.

" _Ragazzi_ ," she said, clapping her hands together, "I just want to go home. _Devo dormire._ "

" _Posso andare a dormire con te se vuoi_ ," Daniele offered.

Pietro and Angelo laughed.

Katherine had received her fair share of invitations to bring the party home, but she couldn't remember the last time someone had offered to simply go to sleep with her. Flattered, she took a few steps towards Daniele, grabbed his face and gave him a light peck on the lips. And since she was slightly inebriated, Pietro and Angelo were granted the same treat.

"It's been fun, but I'm leaving. _Ciao amori_!"

The three men started mock-crying and screaming her name, dropping to their knees, causing the patrons to laugh and watch as Katherine coldly walked away without so much as a look back.

A few feet farther, a car appeared out of nowhere on the road next to her. She didn't pay it any attention, but noticed the driver was in his early thirties and relatively handsome. The five first buttons of his shirt were undone. He wore his long brown hair pulled back in an attempt to replicate the Italian stereotype. _How childish_ , Katherine thought. She hated people with no sense of fashion whatsoever.

"That was some show you put up there, _signorina_ ," the man said.

"And that's your business, because…?"

"I hate to see a beautiful woman harassed by a bunch of baboons."

"Wait a second, let me check something," Katherine said as she slowed down her walk and checked her phone. "Nope, didn't order a knight in a red Ferrari."

The man laughed.

"Can I drive you home anyway?"

Katherine let out a shaky breath at the offer, a familiar wave of panic overwhelming her.

"My mamma told me to never get into a stranger's car."

She started walking a little faster to signify the end of the conversation, but that man was relentless.

"I'm 31, I'm Australian and here on business. I work in fashion. My favorite color is blue, my wife divorced me three weeks ago and I swear there's no dead body in my trunk."

Katherine halted her walk. She looked back to the club, where her three Italian fans were still gesturing for her to come back. Putting her hands on her hips, she smiled at the driver.

"You're something else, you know," she laughed. "But I hate cars. Thanks for the offer, though."

"Can I drive with you, then? Make sure you get home safe?"

There was something honest and pure in his eyes. Katherine shrugged and resumed walking, her arms around her. The night wind was making her shiver in that sleeveless, backless dress.

"Hey, catch this!"

The man threw his jacket at her. She accepted it without a word and wrapped it around herself. They remained entirely silent on the way. Katherine was walking as fast as she could, sensing she could burst into tears at any moment – as per usual after a post-breakup night out. The man was, on the contrary, driving as slowly as he could to keep up with her until she reached her destination. Which happened soon enough.

"That's me, right there," Katherine said. "Thanks for the… company."

"Sure. Wouldn't want anything to happen to ya."

Something in the inflexion of his voice reminded Katherine of herself when she was into someone. She could know no rest until she knew she had exhausted every possibility to have that person. She'd try subtle flirting, plain old seduction… anything to satisfy her need. And that man was doing the same to her. She snorted.

"Do you do that often?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And does it work? Do they invite you up for a cup of coffee?"

"Yes," he said with a smirk.

"Well, I don't drink coffee, mister…"

"Petersfield. Stefan Petersfield."

Katherine's breath got caught in her throat. She took off his jacket as fast as possible and threw it back at him, running up the stairs to her door at once, her hand over her mouth to stifle her cries, her tears already blurring her vision.

"Hey, what did I say?" Stefan yelled after her.

She locked the front door, rushed to her bedroom and sat on the floor, her chin rested on her bended knees. She started sobbing, rocking herself back and forth as the crying intensified. Looking at the box Elijah had named "Photographs," she had the impulse to go and find a picture.

Still crying, she made a mess of the perfectly organized box, throwing things around her until she found the photo she was looking for. _Him_. Just looking at his face, she felt crippled by pain, as if a million daggers were piercing her skin at once. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't see. But she screamed, she yelled and pulled at her hair, now punching walls and kicking everything around her.

She didn't need that tonight. Why did that man have to talk to her? Why couldn't she get her emotions under control after all this time? She always said Elena was the overly emotional one, but that was just because when Katherine cried, it was behind closed doors. When Katherine hurt, she just changed her hair, her current boyfriend, location or job. She explored the alternative.

Elena had been forced to deal with their past, to confront it and move forward. But Katherine? She was still on the run. And the worst part was that nobody knew.

 **A/N: So Elena is starting her new life and Clancy/Damon have finally met! And they might just run into each other again, who knows? And Katherine has a thing with cars...and people called Stefan. Anyone who has a theory about this mystery is welcome to share in the comments but... you'll have to wait a bit more to find out what's really going on! Until next time xx M.**


	8. Welcome to Mystic Falls - Part 2

**Welcome to Mystic Falls - Part 2**

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Camille "Cami" O'Connell, 56, a blonde woman with pale skin and benevolent green eyes, was sitting behind an impressive rectangular ebony desk in a large conference room. Her business partner and old friend Niklaus Mikaelson, 54, was looking at her with the shadow of a smile cornering his lips. He had been around Camille long enough to tell when she was nervous; her silence was a tell, for one.

"Fancy something to drink, love?" Klaus said. "A cool beer? Bourbon?"

"Just tea please," Camille said.

"No alcohol? I might have underestimated your level of nervousness."

Camille looked up to him and smiled, her shoulders sagging. Despite being the co-founder of the biggest talent agency in the region, she was always nervous before meeting a potential client. All those years in business hadn't taken away her passion, and Klaus loved that about her. Where he was stubborn and inflexible, Cami was the velvet glove that made their business blossom. A perfect match, really.

"Can you imagine if we signed him?" Cami said. "He'd blow up the music department."

"When have you not signed a client in the past fifteen years? Every talent who walked through that door achieved their professional projects. They're all under your spell."

"Just them? You pain me, Klaus."

"Green tea, two sugar, a slice of lemon. I'm under that spell too, it would seem."

Cami gave Klaus a quick kiss when he leaned in to put her tea in front of her. She affectionately wiped the marks of lipstick off his cheek. He then gave her one of these looks; the ones she had been pretending not to see over the past few months. She cleared her throat.

"Let's hope my magic works on Mister Clancy King, then."

"Oh, it will. He's a man and you're…you. It's already a done deal, Cami. Relax."

There was a discreet knock on the door and Clancy entered, escorted by April Young, who was interning at OCM for the summer. He crossed the room to give Camille a brief hug and shook hands with Klaus, causing the two partners to exchange an amused glance. Clancy already was under Cami's spell; and he couldn't really be blamed. She was a beautiful, warm woman who inspired trust.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, mister King," Camille said.

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Please, call me Clancy."

"Clancy, then. What can we do for you?"

Clancy sat in front of Klaus. He had been used to discussing business with the men and aesthetics with the women, during his time with Golden Arrows.

"Can I call you Niklaus?" he said.

"Klaus will do."

"Well, Klaus… I guess you did your homework. You know what the Golden Arrows brand is. I want to get rid of that, as soon as possible. I thought you could –"

"Sorry for interrupting, but you talk about these things with Camille, here. She's the nose for talent; she decides who we work with. I'm merely here as a courtesy today."

Clancy frowned. That was not how he had planned to begin the meeting. He nodded his head and turned to Camille with a seductive smile.

"Apologies, Camille. This is not the way I've been used to."

"I bet it's not," Cami said. "But here at OCM, we advocate for female empowerment. Why do you think my name is first?"

"That's because I lost a bet, but I let her have it," Klaus said.

The three laughed.

"There's one question I ask everyone before I decide if I want to invest in them," Cami said.

"And that would be…?"

"What do you expect this agency to do for you, Clancy?"

It was a no-brainer to him. He opened his mouth to answer but paused. What if they laughed at him? What if his parents were right and this was the biggest mistake of his life? What he wanted was a long shot, complicated rebranding, impossible negotiations with his label…

"Are you unsure?" Cami pushed.

"Oh no, I'm very sure. I'm just wondering if you have what it takes."

"Try her," Klaus smirked. "You'd be surprised."

Clancy took a good look at Cami. He would have easily said she was in her mid-forties, as her face bore very little marks of time. She smiled as he studied her face and tried to decide if he could trust her. He hadn't told anyone about his project yet, because it was so out of character that reactions could only be extreme.

"I want you to make me a pop star."

Camille and Klaus exchanged a look. Camille's smile grew and she put her hand on top of Klaus'.

"Welcome to O'Connell & Mikaelson, mister Clancy King," Klaus announced. "That is a challenge we'd love to take on."

Clancy smiled with relief. He knew OCM was his best shot. He was ready to start small, with nights at the Mystic Grill, local radio stations, TV appearances. More than ready, he was willing to start from the bottom again and OCM was the way to go.

"Speaking of challenges," he said. "I have one of my own. Like I said before, I want to work with you because your reputation puts you on top… but I want to make sure we're a good fit."

"What did you have in mind?" Camille asked.

"Let's make this fun, shall we?" Clancy said.

"I'm all ears."

"I want you to come up with a 10-show tour plan for me. Venues, setlist, crew, band… I wanna know what you can do."

Klaus observed Clancy as he made his list of demands and sensed nervousness radiating off of the younger man.

"That's unusual," Klaus said. "But I like it."

"Me too," Camille said. "Let's make it a friendly competition, uh, Nik? Each of us will pick one of our managers and get them to work."

"No," Clancy said, adamant. "I want new blood. People who can still think outside the box."

"Kai would be perfect," Klaus said to Camille.

"Indeed. I'll hold off on naming my candidate, but I'm sure this will get the wheels spinning for when we actually get to work.

"When?" Clancy said. "I like your confidence."

Camille shrugged.

"You don't get to the top without a bit of confidence in your abilities, Clancy."

"Contact me whenever your candidates are ready to present their projects, okay?"

He stood up, imitated by Camille and Klaus.

"Will do," Klaus said.

This time, Clancy shook hands with both Klaus and Camille. She smiled, pleased that he understood he was to treat her as an equal, as he would treat any man in the business. Clancy left the room, attracting glances from some of the employees on his way to the elevator.

"Who are you going to choose?" Klaus asked when they were alone.

"I'm meeting a girl tomorrow, Elena Gilbert. I think she'd be perfect to contrast with Kai."

"I don't like it when you get so mysterious."

"Because that usually means you're going to lose, Nik."

She winked at him and returned to her office.

* * *

Elena groaned when her phone buzzed in the distance, signaling an incoming call. The piercing sound effectively burst her bubble of Zen. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the light. She decided to let the phone ring, but get out of the bath.

She lazily hoisted herself up thanks to the handrail, feeling her head turn slightly. The tension that had been torturing her body all week was gone, but soaking in water for so long had drained her of all energy. She cautiously exited the tub and went straight to the shower to give herself a brief, but necessary wakeup call. She rested her forehead on the glass wall as cold drops bit her skin and jolted her out of her giddiness. After thirty seconds, she decided she'd had enough.

After she wrapped herself in a robe, she put on her slippers.

She could make no legitimate complaint against her suite. It satisfied her vital need for space with its 742 square foot divided into bedroom and living area. The color palette bouncing off the walls and the choice of furniture matched her taste, showcasing neutral tones in shades of brown and gray that were always safe choices in her book.

However, there was something odd about living there alone. She had access to every hotel amenity in the book, the view was breathtaking and she had nothing to worry about, but…it wasn't a home. It wasn't hers. It wasn't what she had in mind when she envisioned herself starting over. She pushed the thought aside again.

She dragged her feet to the living-room, brushing the fossil gray carpeting. Her new phone was on the desk, aggressively calling for attention again. She had allowed herself an extravagance and gave in to the saleswoman's gift of the gab. She'd bought a "top-performing all-around device", Apple's latest iPhone release. Sadly, she still struggled with it. There were too many settings, too many apps. She had quickly figured out that she didn't need that phone for the use she made of it, but she liked it all the same.

For the time being, she wiped her left hand on her leg to make sure it was dry and slid her thumb across the screen to accept the call from Jeremy.

"Lena!"

Elena's face broke into a huge smile.

"Hey, sweetie. How are you?"

"I miss you a lot."

"I miss you too, Grace. I'm sorry I didn't call much. I was very busy but it's all sorted now."

"You promise?"

"Promise. Isn't it time for your nap, though?"

"Yes, but Daddy says we're going to see you soon. Is it true?"

"Yes. Just the three of us."

"I love you, Lena."

"I love you too, little monster. Put your dad on, now. Off to bed."

There was a short silence before Jeremy picked up the phone. Elena decided to go back to her bath. Now that she had a proper phone that she could put on speaker, she hardly ever carried the device.

"Hey," Jeremy said.

"Her name really suits her, Grace."

"That's because you chose it," Jeremy chuckled.

"A grace from whatever god there's up here, that's what she is. Every time I talk to her, I feel like everything is going to be alright."

Jeremy sighed.

"I wish it worked for me, too."

"What's wrong, Jer?"

"Nothing. I'm just… I can't wait to see you."

"It'll be amazing. Small towns are actually quite cool once you get used to them. Grace will love it."

"What about us?"

Elena's face twisted into a grimace. She had been dreading this conversation for months and now that they would be face to face, there would be no running from it.

"Yes, we have things to talk about, I know. There's one I'd like to put out there right now."

At the other end of the line, Jeremy kept quiet, feeling suddenly nervous, just like every time Elena said she wanted to have a serious talk. Did she know? How had she found out? Would she forgive him?

"You know, I'm already in Mystic Falls. At a hotel for now, but I'm going to get a job and a place of my own soon."

"Lena, don't even go there, okay?"

"Why not?" she pushed. "It would be good for Grace to see something else, to be with –"

"What about the rest of the Gilbert clan, uh? I don't want her anywhere near them."

Ever since Grace was born, Jeremy had been relentless in keeping Elena's family away from the little girl. Elena sighed, knowing she had already lost this fight.

"You never want to tell me why," Elena said, sadness lacing her voice.

"Just go on and ask them."

"I hate keeping you a secret from them. I hate lying, you know that."

"That's how it has to be," Jeremy reminded firmly. "I made a choice a long time ago and I'm sticking to it."

"What if I could promise they'd never know?"

"You can't promise that."

"We could move somewhere else. Anywhere."

"Lena…"

"Please!" she begged. "I can't do this alone and… you and Grace have been on your own for too long."

"We have Kenya," Jeremy countered.

"It's not the same. I'm sorry I can't be there."

"It's not your fault, Elena. You tried your best."

"My best obviously isn't enough," she breathed. "Please Jeremy, I'm begging you to at least consider my offer."

"I'll think about it," he conceded.

"It could be a brand new start for all of us, we could –"

"I said I'll think about it."

"Alright," Elena sighed.

"I gotta go. Make sure the little monster is sleeping and not messing around."

"Alright. I'll speak to you soon, then."

"Yeah."

* * *

 _Atlanta, Georgia_

Grayson was lying in his bed, dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. He hadn't been able to sleep, too busy thinking back to the events of summer 2006 to try and make sense of them.

Every time he closed his eyes, he could see it all again: the car crash, Katherine lying in a hospital bed, a funeral, Elena screaming and kicking as she was being tied to the bed in a mental health facility. His face contorted in pain every time a gruesome detail came back to him, vivid as if it were yesterday. His girls have been through so much already… he wasn't sure they could handle things the way Miranda expected them to.

Angrier still at all the pain that was to come, Grayson yanked the comforter away from his body and went to the living-room. He took down the incomplete family portrait, removed it from the frame and went to the balcony. He emptied a flowerpot of budding roses and tore the portrait apart so the pieces fit into the pot.

He then looked for some oil and matches. Lighting the match, he stared at it for a long time before throwing it in the pot. He watched the portrait crumble and relished in the smell of burn paper. Once it was nothing but ashes, he let out a sigh of relief, taking his head into his hands and crying softly.

He returned inside to get his phone. He cleared his throat, wiped his tears away and stood up straighter. He dialed a number and waited for the tone: a male voice answered him.

"Mrs. Lawson's office, how may I help you?"

"I'd like to speak with Andrea, please. Tell her it's Grayson Gilbert."

"Yes, sir. Please hold."

"I'll hold."

In the meantime, he went to Miranda's office, where she kept all of their paperwork. He quickly found the file labeled "Wedding". The man at the other end returned.

"I'm sorry, sir. Mrs. Lawson is with a client. May I take a message?"

"I need her to get started on divorce papers. Grayson and Miranda Gilbert. And tell her to call me whenever she has time."

"Yes sir, duly noted."

When he hung up, his face was relieved. He went to the bathroom to wash his face, brush his teeth and take a cold shower. After that, he reached for his phone again.

"Kathy?" he said when she picked up.

"Daddy, what's up?

Grayson frowned. Something wasn't right.

"You sound tired, sweetheart, is everything alright?"

"I broke up with Elijah."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How are you holding up?"

"Oh, you know," she said with a shrug he couldn't see. "The usual. I'm going to explore the alternative."

Grayson smiled. If there's one thing you couldn't take away from Katherine, it was her determination to overcome any and everything that came her way. Her resume contained more than a dozen jobs, she was fluent in five languages and she was downright scared of nothing. Only matters of the heart seemed to be the problem. Grayson discreetly counted how many men had been in her life and Elijah had been the seventh this year. It was worrying him and this time, he could do something to help her.

"What if your alternative this time was a job in a modelling agency in Mystic Falls?"

"Then I'd say, let's explore it," Katherine smiled.

Everything seemed to fall into place perfectly. Ever since their birthday dinner, Katherine had been trying to find a way to help her sister. Being in the same city would help mend what was broken in Elena and what was broken between the two of them.

"Will Mamma come with?"

"Her… her job is very demanding at the moment."

"Oh. Alright. Maybe she can join us later, then."

Grayson barely hummed.

* * *

Later that day, four empty cups of coffee and two empty packs of cigarettes in front of him, Grayson was staring at his phone, willing it to ring. He didn't want to have to make that call. He didn't want to talk to her; but things needed to be said. After drinking his sixth coffee, he finally dialed Miranda's number.

When Miranda saw Grayson's photo on her screen, she hesitated, but still picked up.

"Hello," she said, her voice neutral.

"Are you alright?"

"I am, thank you."

"I'm sorry about the way I reacted. I scared you. I never meant to do that."

"Thank you for admitting it, Grayson."

"Can we talk?"

"Now is not really a good time."

"I'll be quick. You have to tell the girls."

Miranda bit her lip, suddenly realizing that the situation could get out of her control. She then assumed the position of the inflexible diplomat again, sensing she had nothing to fear from her husband anymore.

"No. They'll start asking questions we can't answer."

"There is no 'we' in this."

Miranda sighed.

"Just… let me see this through. In a few weeks, everything will be alright."

Grayson let out a bitter chuckle.

"I never knew you were so good at wishful thinking."

"I am protecting my children."

Grayson closed his eyes, a particular memory leaving his breathless.

"Where were you when Elena stopped talking and feeding for two months, uh?"

He immediately regretted the words, knowing they would cut deep. But then he thought…only truth hurts. And the truth was, Miranda had distanced herself from Elena since the accident. The fact that he knew why didn't make it any less despicable.

"You will not say a word before I give you the green light," Miranda said, speaking more coldly then he had ever heard before.

"I'm not your employee, Miranda. Lose that tone with me."

"What do you think will happen when you and tell them all this? They'll want proof you can't get them. And they will never believe you just found out. They'll hate you."

"They'll hate me anyway. Then you're going to ruin them and they'll hate you too."

Miranda was beginning to regret confiding in Grayson. He was making everything much more complicated than it needed to be. Why couldn't he simply trust that she knew what she was doing?

"Have you seen Elena at their birthday? This will fix her."

"Maybe, but what about Kathy?"

"She has moved on."

"Are you hearing yourself right now? She can barely ride into a car since the accident."

"That has nothing to do with him."

Grayson shook his head, realizing how delusional Miranda was being about the situation. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he remembered something.

"Your obsession with sending Elena to Mystic Falls. That's where Marcel is keeping him, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"And you're with them right now."

"Yes."

"So there's been more lies. I'm sick of it, Miranda. I was supposed to be your partner in all things… But now I'm done. I'm filing for divorce."

He hung up on her before she could come up with a counterargument, disgusted that she kept choosing not to trust him. He was now convinced there was more to the story and…if what he knew was only the surface, he wasn't sure he wanted to know the rest…

 **A/N : Another evenful update as Grayson wants a divorce, Elena might work for Clancy/Damon and Grayson and Katherine will be living in Mystic Falls soon. And "him" is on Mystic Falls, too! And who thinks Cami and Klaus are just a great duo? What are your thoughts? Feel free to share xx M.**


	9. Welcome to Mystic Falls - Part 3

**Welcome to Mystic Falls - Part 3**

The sun was shining on Mystic Falls when Jonas Martin came to pick up Elena to drive her to her job interview at OCM. The traffic at this hour, surprisingly, was particularly dense in that part of the town, so they were progressing bumper to bumper, which was giving Elena all sorts of anxieties. She wasn't qualified for the job; the least she could do was show up on time. She decided to initiate conversation to take her mind off it.

"How is Luka?" she asked.

"Good. He's spending the weekend in Whitmore with his sister Greta."

"You're great at picking names!"

Jonas laughed.

"Saint Luke and Greta the Pearl…and then I wonder why they have such big egos."

"So she's studying in Whitmore?"

"Yes, she works really hard. Just like you, it would seem."

"I hope it gets me the job."

Jonas briefly turned his head to look at Elena, who was in the passenger seat. She hated sitting behind and being driven around.

"Put away your flashcards, sweetie. This agency is about profiles, not background."

"How do you know?"

"I may or may not have driven the boss lady yesterday. She has high hopes for you."

Elena nodded and put the flashcards away in her bag, frowning as she thought of a suitable way to sell her "profile".

As she looked outside, her frown deepened. She saw two women, a blonde and a brunette, on the floor. The brunette was holding her ankle and writhing in pain.

"Jonas! Stop the car, please. Now!"

As soon as he stopped, Elena jumped out of the car.

"What happened?" she said, kneeling next to the brunette.

"I think she broke her ankle," the blonde friend explained. We called for help but with this morning traffic..."

Elena didn't think twice.

"What your name?" she asked the blonde.

"Rebekah, but everyone calls me Bekah," she shrugged. "And this is Hayley there."

"Rebekah, take my car. My friend will get you and Hayley to the nearest doctor."

Elena turned to Jonas, who was already getting out of the taxi. He carried Hayley to the car and she let him, too hurt to protest. Jonas watched Elena exchanged phone numbers with Rebekah with a benevolent smile at the corner of his lips. She reminded him of Greta; so selfless and willing to risk being late to a major job interview for the sake of helping strangers.

"There's a private clinic fifteen minutes away, you'll be fine, Hayley, I promise," he said.

"It hurts so much", Hayley said through gritted teeth. "Bekah, call Jackson, please."

"I will, love, let's get you to a doctor first."

Rebekah turned back to Elena.

"Call me when you have time, we'll meet and have proper drinks to thank you."

"Sure," Elena said. "Now off you go, hurry!"

"OCM is about three minutes straight then first turn right. Will you be alright, Elena?" Jonas asked.

The young woman gave him a tender, grateful smile.

"I've lived in Paris, New York and Atlanta… I'll be fine. Drive them safely."

"Thank you again," Hayley said. "I can't…thank you enough."

Jonas got behind the wheel and as he ignited the car, yelled after Elena.

"Good luck, sweetheart. And remember: be yourself, alright?"

Elena nodded and picked up the pace. She got to OCM pretty quickly but slightly out of breath.

* * *

Miranda was still in her bathrobe when her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She sighed, guessing it was Grayson calling again to upset her plans. She decided not to pick up. At the same time, there were knocks on her door. With a dramatic eyeroll, she reached for the phone and got to her feet. It was a text message from Katherine. _Daddy and I will be in Mystic Falls this PM to see Lena. Where are you? Hope you're okay xx._

Miranda's instinct for danger immediately flared up: what was Grayson up to? Mystic Falls was a small town – pretty much like the one Miranda had left behind in Ireland – and there were only so many places she could hide her protégé. After thinking on it, she realized it was the end: Grayson was reuniting with the girls to tell them the truth. She absolutely had to get to him before he had a chance to speak or every effort she'd done for the past ten years would be cancelled.

When she opened her door, she was faced with Marcel Gerard. He hadn't changed much since their time in New York; time seemed to leave him untouched: his dark skin bore no trace of the chaotic life he'd been leading for the past ten years. He was still broad-shouldered with an incredible musculature and that unfriendly look on his face. Strangely enough, that perpetual frown of his had always made Miranda feel safe.

She took a step back to invite him in and his face broke into a toothy grin. He merely shook her hand, but anyone watching would have been able to tell there was a certain history between them.

"Good morning, Miranda."

"Marcel. Come, I cooked you breakfast."

She had gone through the trouble of preparing a typical Louisiana breakfast, as she knew how much Marcel missed New Orleans.

"Thanks, Miranda. I miss NOLA food here. Can't cook anything myself."

"So how have you been?

"Good, yeah, good. And the family?"

"Good."

"How did the birthday go?"

"Grayson knows."

Marcel was about to put a spoonful of tapioca in his mouth when he paused. He pushed the tray of food away and folded his muscular arms across his chest. The look on his face went from that of a happy child to that of an upset bodyguard.

"You told him?"

"He was about to leave me. Thought I was cheating."

Marcel shook with a small silent chuckle.

"Foolish man. Does he know everything?"

"Not about Katherine. I swore to her that would never get out. The boy doesn't know, does he?"

"No. I did what we agreed on. Talk about Elena only."

Miranda relaxed. At least, that was something she had complete control over. She, too, had a very clear vision of what Elena's life should be and she'd do anything to make it happen. Hell, she had already done more than she thought possible to lead her daughter on the right path. But with Elena's decision to quit her job, this had escalated too quickly and that needed to stop.

"What if we stopped it now? Before my family explodes for good. We could move him somewhere the girls could visit. Under your supervision, of course."

"We can't."

"But think about it. Nothing happened in almost ten years. Nothing's going to happen two months before the deadline."

Marcel's face hardened.

"You say deadline and all I hear is dead. Remember what they did last time?"

Miranda cleared her throat at the painful memory. She had never gotten over the guilt of that "accident". Tears unexpectedly sprung from her eyes. She rose from her chair to hide from Marcel. He had always known her strong.

Touched by her emotion, he went to her. She was facing away from him but he put his right hand on her shoulder. She reciprocated immediately.

"I'm not sure we did the right thing, Marcel."

"We didn't have a choice back then. You know that. Let me take care of this for you, hmm?"

Despite herself, Miranda let the weight of her body lean on his. If only Grayson could have had that same reaction, to look out for her, to protect her…

Marcel embraced her from behind, caging her in his powerful arms. There was no sort of ambiguity on her side, but he closed his eyes to enjoy that stolen moment. Miranda came to her senses soon enough and returned to the table. He followed with the hint of a smile.

"You'll have to check on Jeremy. He has never put a toe out of line, but with the pressure… He could contact the girls."

"My men have ways to dissuade him. I'll send Thierry."

"No. Tell Thierry to simply watch him and… make sure he is alright."

"As you wish. As for Grayson, I'll take care of him myself."

Miranda sighed.

"That will have to be today. He's going to pick up Katherine from the airport in Atlanta sometime this afternoon. I think he wants to tell them."

"He won't."

Miranda nodded. She knew that determined look in Marcel's eyes; that's why she trusted him with all of their lives.

"Don't go too hard on him, but… persuade him in whichever way you see fit."

Marcel nodded and went back to his breakfast.

"I need to take a shower," Miranda announced.

"I'll see myself out. I'll call you with updates."

She rose from her chair and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek as proof of her gratitude.

"I'll come visit the boy before I head back to Atlanta."

"Of course. Whatever you need."

Miranda then went to the bathroom. Marcel waited to hear if she locked behind her. She didn't. He smiled to himself.

* * *

Grayson arrived to the Drop-Off area on his rental motorcycle, a frown never leaving his face. He hated those machines but driving from Atlanta to Mystic Falls with Katherine was out of the question. She did use cars when there was no other choice, but he didn't want to put her through unnecessary stress. So, a motorcycle. He just hoped it wouldn't start raining.

The closer he got to the gates, the more he realized that there was a familiar face in the crowd. Marcel's. Deciding he didn't want Katherine to see him, Grayson parked his motorcycle, took his helmed off and nodded towards a more secluded area, towards the underground parking lot. Marcel followed him from a distance, his hands in his pockets.

Once the two men were standing face to face, they began gauging each other. Grayson knew that if the situation turned physical, he didn't stand a chance against Marcel, so he decided to ease into the conversation.

"She put you up to this, didn't she?" he chuckled. "Sending me her handyman now, wow."

"Miranda just wants to make sure we're all clear on the plan," Marcel said.

" _Your_ plan. I was never consulted on this nonsense."

Marcel smirked. He finally understood the root of Grayson's anger.

"That's what makes you mad, isn't it? That Miranda came to me, not you."

"I want you to stay away from my wife. From my entire family, do you hear me?"

Marcel took a threatening step in Grayson's direction; he was a solid head taller than him.

"You see, Grayson… I've spent ten years of my life keeping this boy and your family safe. I can't just let you run your mouth now, can I?"

Grayson looked at Marcel with disgust.

"You've always been nothing but a little thug. Does Miranda even know about this?" he said, gesturing between the two of them.

"I never go behind her back."

Grayson let out a bitter chuckle. Marcel always had that tone when she spoke about Miranda.

"Stay away from us, Marcel. All of us. You get me?"

Grayson walked past Marcel, pushing him roughly with his shoulder. Marcel looked around to make sure nobody was there, pulled Grayson by the collar and gave him a punch in the face. Another in the stomach, causing Grayson to fall to his knees and spit blood.

"Keep Elena in Mystic Falls, keep your mouth shut and do not ruin this for us. You get me?"

Grayson was still coughing, trying hard not to show any sign of fear or weakness. Marcel caught him by the collar to make him stand up.

"I said: do you get me?" he said, detaching every word.

Grayson simply nodded. With a disdainful kick of the foot, Marcel pushed him back down and walked away.

* * *

Clancy was in his living-room, dressed casually in a dark grey t-shirt and sweatpants. The allure of the "vampire" completely gone except for his dyed white hair, he was cleaning house.

Listening to Golden Arrow's last album _Incubus_ , he was boxing in everything that reminded him of the band: awards, posters, pictures, signature ring and platinum records. He wanted to begin again with a clean slate and having all of this in his house certainly wouldn't help; so he was going to store it all up in the garage.

His face bore traces of nostalgia, though. Every now and then, he would smile at an item before boxing it up. He and the guys, they'd had good – great – years together, after all. He would never forget Golden Arrows. That band had made him who he was, to the point that he had to spread his own wings and fly, now. But he didn't have a single regret.

Once the walls were stripped of anything except a mirror, he stopped to stare at his reflection with a dreamy smile. He imagined that same room, filled with awards and platinum records to his name. The issue was that he couldn't see which name would be engraved in those. He closed his eyes and envisioned an award with the name Clancy King, then another with Damon Salvatore. He simply couldn't choose.

Annoyed by that ongoing dilemma, he stopped the music and put the last item away: the _Incubus_ vinyl. He proceeded to carry everything to the garage and retrieve his old black acoustic guitar.

He sat in the garden and started to play some random melody. Something that sounded mainstream, pop. A sound radically different from what Golden Arrows did. He was interrupted when Matt Donovan knocked on the fence to signal his presence. He was obviously nervous.

"Gonna leave this house effective immediately, too?"

"You're an idiot," Clancy smiled.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure, man. What's up?"

Matt sat next to Clancy, who didn't put his guitar down.

"Quite a stunt you pulled the other day, uh."

"Had to. Alaric wouldn't have let me do it if I'd told him before."

"He's losing his mind I can tell you that. And the folks at the label, too. But you owe them an album, Clance, you know that, right?"

"I'll give'em one."

"Full of this pop ballad nonsense? They'll hang you by the balls!"

Clancy snorted. Something in Matt's voice told him his friend didn't believe he could produce anything decent outside of the band. He'd prove him wrong. He'd prove them all wrong. He'd show them that always expecting the worst of him was their biggest mistake, he promised himself in that moment. They wouldn't even see him coming.

"You don't get it, do you? It's always been what I wanted. The band just…happened to me."

"Then why did you go with it?"

"You met my folks recently? I was 17, they thought I was useless. At least, I was good at being a Golden Arrow."

Matt got lost in his thoughts for a moment, trying to remember. If he was honest, he had witnessed the transformation of Damon Salvatore into Clancy King with no critical eye whatsoever, thinking his friend was having the time of his life. There were moments, yes, behind the scenes, but they all had them.

"I should have seen it coming, really," Matt said. "You've been off for a while."

"An album every three years, a world tour, writing for movie soundtracks and commercials… that's not for me."

"They'll never take you seriously, man."

"I'll take my chances."

Matt nodded, unsure of what to say. If there was one thing Clancy and Damon had in common, it was determination. Once that guy had an idea, it was impossible to make him shake it off.

"Sorry I blew you off the other day, Matt. I was kinda shitting my pants, so…"

"Ah, forget it. We're friends, right?"

"Right. How's Tyler taking things?"

"Pretty much like everybody else. He's fucking pissed. Spend all his time at the gym to blow off the steam. But the others, the crew…they kinda hate you."

Clancy nodded his head, barely surprised. Leaving the band was a selfish decision that he had carried out in the most selfish way; that usually made you some enemies. As for Tyler, he had always had a strong temper and anger issues; Clancy decided to steer clear from him for a while.

"And you?" he asked Matt. "Hate me too?"

Matt huffed and went to the garage to find another guitar. He came to sit in front of Clancy, this time and they started playing together. They exchanged a look and smiled.

 **A/N : So we got to know a little more about Clancy/Damon and Elena has finally made friends on her way to her job interview. The parents are still at odds and...Marcel has a lot to do with it. What do you think his role is in the bigger picture? All going to be revealed soon. Another update is coming at you tomorrow. From Paris, with love xx M.**


	10. Welcome to Mystic Falls - Part 4

**Welcome to Mystic Falls – Part 4**

"Welcome to O'Connell & Mikaelson, Elena," Camille said with a warm smile. "We're all on a first-name basis here."

"Got it," Elena nodded, shaking Camille's hand.

"We've got a lot on our plate today, so we'll have coffee in my office and you'll get to work."

Elena followed Camille as she walked straight to the elevator.

"Work? I thought this was a simple job interview?"

"Your job interview will be everything but simple, dear."

Elena smiled. She had always been stimulated by challenges. It was the first time in a while that was excited about anything and the feeling was heavenly. Was that what it felt like to have purpose? If so, she never wanted to leave this place because she could see a path drawing itself in front of her… the path to accomplishment and, maybe, if she dared hope, to happiness.

They got into Camille's office, an all black and white room with minimalist but elegant furniture and a leather couch. Tea, coffee and pastries had already been brought up. The blonde and the brunette sat and helped themselves.

"I assume you've heard about Clancy King's big stunt?" Camille said.

"My best friend Bonnie is still crying tears of blood over it."

Camille gave her a surprised look and Elena cursed herself.

"I mean… he has unexpectedly left his band Golden Arrows and is looking for representation."

Camille smiled.

"M. King wants to know if we have what it takes to launch the next step of his career."

"How can I help?"

"You've never worked in the music business before, have you?

"No, madam. Camille."

"But you were a lawyer. I like that. It's going to give you the drive and discipline your adversary lacks."

"Pardon? Adversary?"

Camille smiled at something behind Elena and when she turned, she saw two men come in.

"Elena, this is Niklaus Mikaelson," Camille said, pointing to the older man. "The co-founder of the agency."

"Nice to meet you, Niklaus."

"The pleasure is all mine. And this is Malakai Taylor, who'll be working on my team for this assignment."

"And you, Elena, will be working for my team. Each of you will present a plan for what you envision to be Clancy King's next ten gigs…as an artist singing pop music."

Elena was stunned by the news. She had never done anything like this before and looking at the smile on that Malakai's face, she had a lot of catching up to do.

"What is our deadline?" Elena asked.

"5pm today," Klaus said.

"Today?!" Malakai exclaimed. "But that's too soon! With all the bookings, the setlist, the venues…"

"Relax, Kai. It's only a fictitious assignment. Some raw material for M. King to decide if he'll sign with us."

Camille and Klaus exchanged an amused look. Elena's face was already resolute and Kai seemed to think they had all lost their minds.

"Feel free to use my office. There's enough space for the both of you."

"See you at five, kids," Klaus said as his hand slid down Camille's back to lead her out.

Elena didn't miss the deadly look Kai gave Klaus, but she said nothing. She was here to get a job, not to befriend the enemy.

Camille and Klaus exited the room with mischievous smiles on their lips.

"Bold choice, that girl," Klaus whispered.

"She'll crush that son of yours."

* * *

Kai spent most of his time talking on the phone, relaxing, ordering food and lazily typing on his computer from time to time. Elena, on the other hand, didn't lose a second. She spent the first two hours researching about the duties of a good music agent. She was supposed to "make the live music happen". She was still grasping the specifics of concert production, as it was one of the things she hadn't thought was part of a talent agency's prerogatives. That meant working closely with promoters and record executives to make sure the artist got proper exposure. She quickly understood the basic ropes and got started on the project.

This was it. Her one shot at success. There was little space to make the consequence-less mistakes that came with beginning at a new job. So she accessed the company's Intranet and picked up the agency's contacts to single out the most appropriate and experienced individuals for the job.

Not a word was exchanged between her and Kai, although she felt his gaze heavily upon her a few times. It made her feel ill-at-ease; something about him screamed danger. "Of the good kind", as would say Katherine. But Elena did everything she could to steer clean from danger.

When the clock struck 5, Camille and Klaus came back with impatient looks on their face; that's when Elena understood there were higher stakes than simply hiring a new assistant for Camille. Elena raises both her hands in the air to show she was finished.

"We're not in school, you know? Take a chill pill, honey," Kai mocked.

Elena ignored him as Camille and Klaus took their seats. She got to her feet and cleared her throat.

"Here's my take on this. Since we need a complete rebranding for M. King, I've set up a ten-date tour of acoustic sets with half covers and half original material. It's a good way to establish the musical shift and demonstrate his vocal abilities. And his songwriting skills if he has any. Minimal band, intimate venues."

"Interesting," Klaus said.

Elena handed Camille and Klaus a folder each, containing the promotional posters she had created and the list with crew members.

"Kai?" Camille prompted.

Elena flinched. She truly loathed nicknames.

Malakai didn't bother standing up.

"I went for something different," he said. "Ten dates opening for the big pop sensation of the moment, where Clancy would perform only original songs to establish his sound. The crew is already booked for the headliner, everything's in place. All he has to do is hop on a tour bus.

"Let me see," Camille said.

Malakai gave his file to Camille and went back to sit next to Elena.

"I could take you out for drinks after this. To make up for crushing you," he whispered.

"Such a kind offer that I'm heartbroken to decline."

"Oh come on, don't be like that. I'm just being nice."

Elena scoffed and moved a seat farther from him, just as Camille and Klaus closed their files and exchanged a nod.

"Well…" Camille said. "Both of your propositions have a certain appeal, but… we're going to go with Kai's."

Elena plastered a smile on her face and nodded, while Malakai didn't hold back a gloating "Yes!"

"Your project was more original and more thoroughly documented, Elena," Klaus said. "But the booking of the crew was incorrect."

"Those mistakes come with your inexperience," Camille continued. "But we're not holding that against you. You fought well with the weapons you had. Congratulations."

Elena stood, smoothing her pencil skirt.

"Thank you, Niklaus. And thank you for your time and the opportunity, Camille."

She shook hands with everyone, including Malakai, who winked at her. She left the room before anyone could add anything. Nearly running to the bathroom, she bumped into someone but didn't look up. She locked herself in a stall and started crying. Her only hope was crushed. She had failed. Who did she think she was, leaving the steady job she had studied for?

When she managed to calm down, she wiped the traces of mascara under her eyes and exited the bathroom. She found Malakai waiting for her.

"I didn't think that job meant so much to you. I'm sorry you didn't get it."

"I'll get another one."

"Let me take you to dinner," he said, speaking in dulcet tones. "I've heard you're new in town, so it would be better than going back to an empty hotel room."

Elena frowned, disturbed by the blatant, infuriating patronizing tone he used.

"I… I – I don't…no, no dinner, thanks. It's… I don't date. I…just. No. No, thank you."

"I didn't mean as a date."

"Yes, you did. I used to be a lawyer, I can tell."

"Okay fine," he shrugged. "I may or may not have fallen under your spell. But seriously… how about a meal with a friend?"

"I – I have friends. I have plans with my friends. I'm – I'm running late. Congratulations on the job."

* * *

Elena was furiously packing her bags, tears running down her face. She hadn't stopped crying since she left OCM and went home by her own means instead of calling Jonas, who had called four times already to check up on her. She'd listened to the sweet message and understood he was worried about her, but she didn't have the strength to talk him through her massive failure. If she opened her mouth, she would explode.

What was she going to do, now? She could very well stay in Mystic Falls and look for another job. She could offer her services as a lawyer to anyone in need. That would be the logical thing to do, she knew it. She still needed to be on her own and figure things out.

But she couldn't bear staying. Mystic Falls had just become the proof that she'd never be able to escape the life she was running from. a small-town agency didn't want her.

There was a knock on the door; she expected it was room service, with the ton of food she had ordered. She wanted to stop stress-smoking, so she'd stress-eat instead. Way less hard on the body.

"Coming!" she yelled.

Elena quickly went to the bathroom, humidified a small tower and applied it to her face to look presentable. When she went back to open the door, she was stunned to find Grayson and Katherine standing there with huge smiles on their faces. They yelled "surprise!" in such a chipper tone that it almost gave Elena a headache.

"Dad, what happened to you face?" Elena said.

Grayson touched his bruised cheek and cut lip. He shrugged.

"He won't tell. Trust me, I've tried," Katherine said.

"I… I ran into an idiot at the airport. He tried to steal my wallet."

"Oh my God, Dad…" Elena said. "Come in, I'll clean you up."

She finally allowed them in and went straight to the bathroom to retrieve what she needed. In the meantime, Katherine and Grayson noticed the room was filled with used tissues and Elena's packed bags.

"How am I supposed to tell her about my gig, now?" Katherine whispered.

Grayson shushed her with a wave of the hand.

"What gig?" Elena said.

She was frowning, the supplies in her hand. She couldn't take another blow, not today, not so soon.

"I called in another favor. OCM has signed your sister for their Modeling Department."

"Oh. Congratulations, Kat."

"Kat…?!" her sister echoed; it was the first time in ten years that Elena had used a nickname.

Grayson noticed as well and decided that, no matter what was upsetting Elena, he needed to talk to them, face to face.

"Girls, I… there's something I want to talk to you about. Maybe we should sit?"

"Let's take care of your face, first," Elena decided.

Grayson obediently sat and let Elena clean his wounds. Katherine paced around, ostensibly touching the packed bags.

"Are you going somewhere, Elena?"

Grayson gently pushed Elena's hand away from his face.

"That's what I want to talk about."

He and Elena sat on the dark-grey couch, and Katherine took the light-grey chair opposite them. Grayson's eyes went from one daughter to the other and took a deep breath. He had a way with words, on paper, but he had never been one to beat around the bush.

"Your mother and I are getting a divorce."

His voice was factual, void of any emotion whatsoever. It wasn't an announcement concerning a life-changing relationship; it was just a logical fact to him, after everything he had learned. He let the girls absorb the news, but only Katherine seemed shocked. Elena simply took her father's hand with a sympathetic smile.

"Why?" she asked.

"She lied to me about important things. She broke my trust."

Elena nodded, while Katherine literally froze. What had her mother lied about?

"So I thought…" Grayson continued. "Since the three of us are here now, we could get a nice place together."

Elena's panic flared up. Jeremy would come visit soon. It would be hard enough to sneak him into Mystic Falls without anyone knowing, so getting a place with her family was out of the question. She could not risk it.

"Erm… I don't think that's a good idea. I… I need my own space, that was the whole point of me coming here. Standing on my own two feet."

Katherine didn't say much; she had warned her dad that Elena would react that way. Grayson decided to change the subject and put his hand on Elena's knee.

"I'm sorry about the interview, Elena."

"Thanks."

"But there's no rush for you to find a job. You know your mamma has paid for this suite for two months and we can help you with money if you – "

"I have my own money, Dad."

Grayson frowned, as he did every time Elena refused to take money from him.

"I'm just saying we could help you out if you'd like to take a few months off."

"I need to do something with myself or I'll lose my mind."

That sentence triggered a look of panic between Katherine and her father. The worst thing that could happen to this family was Elena losing her mind; they had all been there before and it hadn't been pretty.

"How about training, then?" Katherine blurted. "I'm sure there are awesome programs for future agents."

"That's actually a great idea," Elena said, her eyes regaining a certain spark. "Camille O'Connell seems to like me. I could ask her to hire me as an intern."

"So we can help you unpack those?"

When she nodded, Grayson let out a sigh of relief, touching his cheek again. He could honestly do without another run-in with Marcel and his fists.

 **A/N : So... Most of the Gilbert family is relocating to Mystic Falls, where "he" is hidden and sadly, Elena failed at her job interview. Katherine doesn't have that problem but wasn't her reaction a little curious to the news of the divorce? And what about Elena losing her mind in the past? What do you think should be everyone's next move? See ya next Wednesday for a new chapter! Love, M xxx**


	11. Welcome to Mystic Falls - Part 5

**Welcome to Mystic Falls – Part 5**

 _New York City_

Jeremy was waiting at the bank to see his bank adviser. He was dressed in a dark suit, ill-at-ease. Dressing so formally wasn't a habit for him. He couldn't stop fiddling with his jacket, adjusting his collar or trying to straighten his tie. He never managed to get anything right; his hands were shaking. The man sitting next to him, clad in virtually the same outfit, gave him a commiserating smile.

A woman approached them and smiled at Jeremy.

"M. Zhu?"

He nodded and stood up.

"M. Sanders will see you know."

The man gave Jeremy an encouraging nod, to which he responded with a smile. He followed the secretary through a long corridor. At the end of it, M. Sanders, the epitome of what you'd call "a suit", was waiting for him, a bright smile on his face. Jeremy internally rolled his eyes; he was about to be lectured by some kid fresh out of college.

Once they were alone, Sanders' smile became less welcoming, slightly more tense.

"Good morning, M. Zhu. How are you?" Sanders asked, even though it was obvious he didn't care about the answer.

"In trouble, if I'm here," Jeremy joked.

Sanders smiled.

"Nothing we can't fix, with a little bit of good will. You're late on the installment for your house and the check for your electricity bill will bounce unless you put some cash into your account."

"I know."

"Are you experiencing any particular difficulties at the moment?"

Jeremy chuckled.

"Nothing I haven't experienced before," he said. "They raised my daughter's school fees, so… I'm doing my best to work extra hours, but how many can you really do as a teacher, hmm?"

Jeremy thought maybe he should start giving private drawing lessons, but that meant spending less time with Grace and he wasn't ready to give up on that yet.

Sanders nodded and typed down a few words in Jeremy's file. He pinched the bridge of his nose for a second, unsure of how to bring up what he had in mind. He cleared his throat.

"Will you be able to balance your account within the next seven days, M. Zhu?"

"I'll find a way."

"If I may…?"

"You may."

Sanders turned the computer screen so Jeremy could see his accounts.

"We could tap into the other account you have with us. Another deposit of $2500 has been made this morning."

Jeremy tensed immediately, loosening up his tie and eventually taking it off. His eyes roamed all over the room. He did everything he could not to think about that account.

"That won't be necessary."

"I'm sorry to insist, but if it comes down to it, the bank will have no choice but to seize money from that account. Its balance is currently at $300,000, sir."

"I'll come back with enough cash in two days. We'll be good, then?"

"Yes, sir."

Jeremy was ready to leave. He got to his feet and shook Sanders' hand.

"M. Zhu… I have known you ten years and not once have you touched that account. May I be bold enough to ask why?"

"That's… private."

Jeremy nodded and exited the office as quickly as he could without running. He was all sweaty. He chuckled darkly to himself.

"I don't touch it because it's hush money," he whispered through his teeth.

He immediately reached for his phone and dialed a number.

"Bonnie? I need a huge favor."

* * *

 _Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Elena verified the content of her message before sending it. _To Bonnie: I'll send money. Don't tell him it's from me._ When she was done, she looked around, skeptical.

"Are you sure this is the best place?" she asked Jonas.

"Positive, dear. I asked Luka, he says it's a blooming place for all sorts of artists, here. They often have open mic nights. Plus, it was that or the woods."

"Thank Luka for me, then. Maybe we could have dinner all together some time, with your kids."

"I'd like that, yes. Do you want me to wait for you here?"

"Yes, please. I won't be long."

Elena got out of the car, a bouquet of white lilies in her hand. She started looking for the place where it felt right to stop. She walked without any direction until she found a small empty alley with street art on the walls. The graffiti of a piano adorned one of them.

"Here," she whispered to herself.

She walked up to the graffiti and knelt in front of it, the flowers still in her hands. After making sure nobody was passing by, she sat on the floor, disregarding the dirtiness of the pavement. She started fiddling with her bracelet, a white gold piece of jewelry where the letters "E.P." had been engraved.

"You always said I'd end up somewhere like this, and here I am," she said, rubbing her hand against the wall, now. "I chose lilies, this time. They symbolize purity. The purity…of our bond that can never be broken."

Overwhelmed by emotion, she started crying.

"It was supposed to be you and me, Stefan. Together."

Her hand never left the piano on the wall.

"But I'll find someone, I… I'll make them see how talented they are and I'll show them to the world. Just like I was supposed to do for you."

With her free hand, she got a tissue out of her purse and tapped her eyes and nose with it.

"I love you."

She leaned in to kiss the bouquet of lilies before respectfully laying it down. She got to her feet, dusting herself off. She inhaled deeply to compose herself before joining Jonas, but she was stunned to turn around and find Katherine standing at the end of the alley.

"It's a nice place," she said. "He would have loved it."

Elena's blood started to boil. What the hell was Katherine doing here, ruining her moment?

"How did you find me?" she said aggressively.

"Your driver."

"And what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to pay my respects, too."

"Find your own place, Katherine."

Elena started walking away, her hands closed into fists. Why did Katherine have to ruin everything? That was Elena's thing. In every new town, she chose a place to pay her respects to Stefan. She thought nobody knew.

"Lena.."

Elena stopped to face her sister.

"How many times? E-le-na!"

"You didn't mind when he called you Lena."

Something snapped inside of the usually quiet, discreet Elena.

"And what did he call you, uh? Kat or Kathy is just too common; everyone calls you that. I'm sure he went for something corny like 'angel'. Told you you were his angel, yeah? Ain't that right? His sweet, sweet, little angel."

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Stop lying to me," Elena yelled. "It's been ten years, Katherine! Just stop! I _know_ , alright?"

Katherine's hands immediately flew to her middle. She held herself, tears springing to her eyes. Elena had never yelled at her like this before, much less in the middle of the street.

"Whatever you think you know –" Katherine began..

Elena's tears kept rolling on her cheeks; she was so tired of all this.

"You lost him too! You are allowed to grieve too… Just admit it! Stefan died and a part of you died with him, just like a part of me died with him. Just admit it, please."

Katherine stood frozen, but forced herself to take a few steps towards Elena, who didn't move. Katherine kept hearing their mother's voice in her head, from the day of the accident. _None of this ever happened, are we clear?_

"We all lost him," Katherine said, trying to sound detached. "You, me, Daddy."

"Daddy doesn't lie about it."

"I'm not lying to you. We all miss Stefan, but your relationship with him was special and –"

"Shut up," Elena screamed. "You know nothing about Stefan and I, nothing! You're just like Mom, you bunch of bloody liars!"

Katherine was too shaken up to run after Elena when her sister fled back to Jonas' taxi in tears.

Jonas observed Elena through the rear mirror. She looked devastated. He stopped the taximeter and, still in silence, took her on a tour of Mystic Falls until she stopped crying. By the time she calmed down, the sun was starting to go down.

"I shouldn't have told her where to find you. Forgive me."

"You're all forgiven, Jonas. Can you please take me to my hotel, now?"

"What about your night out with your new friends?"

"I'm not in the mood anymore."

Jonas slowed down the car and found a parking spot quite easily. He turned to face Elena. Her face bore the trace of her tears and he couldn't help caressing her cheek like he would have with Greta. Elena leaned into the touch.

"I have no clue what's going on between you and your sister, but if it hurts that much, you've got to let it go."

"She doesn't deserve it."

"But you do. Forgiveness will free you, Elena."

She stared at him for a moment, in awe. Jonas was not just her driver. He had become a friend, another kind of father figure to her; his wisdom left her speechless.

"Now, go upstairs, make yourself beautiful and start this new life."

"How do you do it?" she asked.

"What?"

"Soothe me like that."

"Took years of practice with Greta."

Elena smiled.

"I'll be ready in half an hour."

"I'll be there."

"Come on inside and have dinner, then. Put it on my tab."

"I'm good, kiddo, but thanks."

Elena got off the taxi and started walking towards the hotel door, but had a change of heart. She ran to Jonas' window to drop a kiss on his cheek. They exchanged a smile and she went off to get ready.

* * *

Elena met Rebekah and her friend Hayley inside the Mystic Grill. She spotted them easily, as Hayley's broken ankle had granted them front row seats for the show. It was one of the open mic nights Jonas had told her about and she was impatient to see the talent Mystic Falls had to offer.

"Hey, guys," she said shyly as she approached the duo.

The two women looked up at the same time, with the same smile. Hayley patted the seat next to her for Elena to sit. When she did, the brunette gave her an unexpected hug.

"Thank you so much for the other day, for your car."

"Don't mention it, anyone would have done the same."

"I'm not exactly the town's favorite so I doubt that."

Elena smiled for lack of an appropriate response.

"Anyway, drinks on me all night for you, Elena...?"

"Gilbert," she said. "Elena Gilbert."

"Well, Elena Gilbert," Rebekah said, "I hope you're ready to party because broken ankle or not, we are planning to have an outrageous night."

Elena smiled and realized Rebekah would get along with Katherine just fine; they seemed to have the same taste for alcohol and tiny spaces where it was body against body.

"How about we start with a few shots?" Hayley offered.

"I don't drink," Elena said. "Sorry."

The two friends exchanged a glance that Elena was used to by now. They'd think of her as an annoying buzz-killer who didn't know how to have fun. That's how people always looked at her, especially when Katherine was there to underline the sharp contrast. Elena was the Little Miss Perfect who had no vice. Except for the occasional cigarette, she was quite careful what she put into her body.

"I just… don't like the taste of alcohol," she added, feeling like she had to justify herself.

"Alright then, no shots," Rebekah pouted.

"Oh no, don't change your plans because of me, have at it."

Rebekah's smile returned immediately as she gestured for the waitress.

"So who's playing tonight?' Elena asked Hayley.

"A girl named Caroline Forbes. She's good, you'll see."

"What kind of music does she make?"

"Erm I don't know, just nice to listen to. Why all the questions?"

"Just curious," Elena shrugged as the waitress brought her Virgin Mojito.

Elena watched as Rebekah and Hayley clinked their shot glasses against each other and gulped the content in one go. Just looking at it gave her a migraine. She hated alcohol with a passion, especially in social situations like this. For someone who liked to keep control over everything, there was nothing worse than being inebriated. She hadn't drank more than a glass of wine at the occasional dinner and -

"Hey," a red-haired boy said as he sat next to Elena. "Is this seat taken?"

Rebekah giggled.

"Apparently now, it is."

"My name is Philip," the man said, offering his hand to Elena, who shook it with a shy smile.

"Elena."

"Nice to meet you, Elena. Are you new in town? I come here often and I've never seen you before. I would have remembered."

And there came the compliments and the flirting. Elena felt her cheeks redden and her palms go sweaty. She tried to hide it but Hayley was discreetly nudging her to encourage her.

"I just moved in, yeah."

"From?"

"Atlanta."

"Wow. You'll be quickly bored to death here if we don't do something about it."

"Like what?"

"I could take you on a tour, show you the good spots and stuff."

"No, thanks," Elena said shortly. "My friends here will take good care of me."

She had spoken with a detached, cold tone that she had heard her mother use so many times. It was generally enough to discourage potential suitors, but Philip didn't seem to mind.

"I'd love to be your friend, then."

Elena cleared her throat and drank a long gulp from her alcohol-free cocktail, then suddenly got to her feet. She turned to the girls.

"I need air; I'll be back in a minute."

Rebekah wanted to object, but Hayley stopped her. Elena gave her a thankful smile.

"Have a good evening, Philip," she said before walking off.

She marched to the gates and went to sit on the pavement, trying to catch her breath. She hated when men did that. Hitting on her. It was unbearable. Couldn't they see that she was damaged goods? How much clearer could she make it?

Frustrated that a night about friends and music had turned into a farce to escape male attention, she took out a cigarette from her "emergency pack". The taste of nicotine in her mouth immediately soothed her. She really needed to quit, but for now, she needed to calm down and get her focus back on.

She was here to make new friends and discover a new artist. And she'd do nothing else, she decided. She was going to enjoy that cigarette, go back inside and forget about everything else, if only for a while.

"Hi everyone," she heard a crystalline voice say from the inside. "My name is Caroline Forbes and I promise I won't bore you to death tonight."

The patrons laughed. Elena stood, rearranged her black jumpsuit and her blazer, then went back inside. Philip wasn't in the seat next to her anymore. He had moved left, to be closer to Rebekah. Elena snorted and shook her head.

Philip's interest in her had nothing to do with her personality, the way she laughed or even how she looked; she was just the new face in town. He was interested in hunting her down before others could. How typically masculine, she thought with disdain.

She took her seat and put her purse down on the one next to her, hoping whoever would have liked to sit there got the message. When she was done, she looked up to observe as the singer, Caroline Forbes, got ready to perform.

It had been a while since Elena had attended a concert. She had forgotten what it was like to wait for a stranger to sing about your darkest secrets or let an up-tempo move your body. She had willingly forgotten the true meaning of music because it hurt too much. But she hoped Caroline Forbes was about to remind her. She looked at the bubbly blonde with a smile, silently begging her to make sense of the choices she'd made recently.

Caroline had that light about her. And when she parted her lips to sing her first note, it hit Elena like a punch in the face. She hadn't heard a voice so pure in a while. Despite herself, Elena's eyes filled with tears of raw emotion as Caroline sang a song she had never heard before, but that still sounded familiar. The feeling of her heart pounding in her chest was delightful, for once. She was happy that, barely ten seconds into the song, she wanted to yell nonsensical things at Caroline. Things like _you're amazing_ and _I love what you do_ and _please give me some of your time._

"Are you okay?" Hayley whispered, handing her a tissue.

"Yeah. It's just the song. It feels like home."

Hayley nodded and focused back on Caroline.

Elena crunched her eyebrows together as she conjured herself to impassibility, because the world demanded you to be in control at all times, carefully concealing your emotions for fear of being labeled "the one who felt too much".

But Elena felt too much, and especially in this moment, when something inside her clicked. It was a sign, Elena told herself. That voice was the sign that she had to persevere, train, intern or do whatever was necessary to get into OCM and bring in Caroline as her first client. She'd do for her what she couldn't do for Stefan and maybe, just maybe, it would help tame the pain.

* * *

Elena was in the shower when there was a knock on the door. Expecting either her father or Katherine, she didn't bother wrapping her wet hair into a towel or getting dressed. She simply slid into the hotel bathrobe and opened the door.

When she saw the person who was standing in front of her, Elena blinked several times. Suddenly, she could feel her pulse in her throat, sign of a discomfort too diffuse to pin down. His pale skin, combined to the whiteness of his hair and his dark attire, made it seem like the light of day would turn him to ash. It was a disturbing sight, but Elena couldn't have looked away to save her life.

"Well, hello, Ms. Elena Gilbert," Clancy said.

Her jaw clenched at the tone of his voice. Her body was screaming at her to do something, anything, to slam the door in his face, to get out of his way, to say something. But her legs remained firmly planted on the ground and her lips sealed.

"It's nice to officially meet you," he continued.

Elena wrapped the bathrobe tighter around herself.

"Wh – What are you – Who are you? I mean… what are you doing here? I don't even –"

"You yelled at me the other day and made me late, remember? I'm glad you seem in a better mood today."

Clancy let himself in with a smirk. Elena watched him sit in her armchair with no trace of embarrassment whatsoever. Her cheeks reddened as she became suddenly warm. She let out a small laugh at the nerve of that man.

"I'll ask again: what are you doing here, mister King?"

Clancy observed her from head to toe and she squirmed a little under his cerulean gaze. She kept forgetting she was not wearing much. She took a few steps towards the bathroom, where she had left her change of clothes.

Clancy found the situation absolutely hilarious and kept his eyes on her, simply to taunt her. He had never been one to look away from a pretty woman, especially not one as beautiful as Elena Gilbert. But that was not the reason for his visit so he cleared his throat.

"I'm here to talk business. You might want to… get dressed?"

Elena didn't know how to answer that. Clancy observed the dilemma on her face: throw him out because he was invading her privacy or get changed and get a job she'd lost just the day before?

"I won't be long", she said.

"Perfect. Shall I order breakfast in the meantime?"

"No!" she said, outraged.

He laughed and nodded. He was going to have a lot of fun harmlessly tormenting that girl. She seemed so naïve, so pure and shy… He wanted to dig deeper than the surface, for some reason. She was different from the people he usually was in contact with, and that alone made her his new favorite person. She was refreshing.

Elena exited the bathroom dressed in black jeans, a beige sweater and her hair tied into a high bun. Clancy hadn't moved except to make them a cup of tea each. She noticed he had placed hers far enough from him and appreciated the gesture. She sat on the couch, across from him.

"You wanted to talk business, sir?"

There it was again, the wall she kept between her and the rest of the world. No trace of the shy teenager she seemed to be when she opened the door. Her voice was calm, her body relaxed, her eyes focused.

"Please call me Clancy."

"I'm going to work for you, I'm not comfortable with that."

Clancy nodded.

"Ah yes, you're the ex-lawyer. Well, as your client who needs to establish a trusting relationship with you, I request that we use our first names, please."

Elena smiled at his efforts. She was gradually calming down, not so astonished to find him in her private sphere anymore.

"Clancy, then. Are you ready to live up to your name?"

"How do you mean?"

"Clancy comes from the Gaelic that means 'red warrior', didn't you know?"

Clancy smiled, intrigued.

"No. No, I didn't. But… I chose it well, then, didn't I?"

"Chose it?"

"You're really new to the business," he smiled.

"Well, yes. I'm not used to clients barging in my hotel room first thing in the morning, if that's what you mean. Apologies for my cold welcome."

"That's not what I mean. You know nothing about me."

"Not much, no."

"And you're blunt, honest."

"Sometimes to a fault, yes."

Clancy took a sip of his tea and let silence hang above them for a few seconds. Elena Gilbert was a strange creature, to say the least. She did nothing to enhance her natural beauty and she hadn't tried to infuse seduction in their interactions so far, despite Clancy's own efforts. She was different, an enigma to solve.

"My name is Damon Salvatore. I used an alias to keep my family out of Arrows business. Now if you can tell me, at the top of your heard, what Damon means, I'm hiring you on the spot."

Elena laughed.

"Damon comes from the Greek phrase 'to tame'".

"How do I know you're not making it up?"

"Check online."

She folded her arms across her chest, a smug grin on her face. These music people had odd ways of conducting business but if that was what it took, she could adapt just fine.

"Wow," Clancy said as he looked up to her." "How did you know that?"

"I like that names often reflect who we are. So… my first recommendation as your new employee would be to go by your real name for this new phase of your career."

Clancy frowned.

"You're the first person to suggest that."

"I have a very different, and perhaps misguided, perspective on things. I'm still learning."

Clancy put down his cup of tea and rubbed his hands together.

"Long story short, I loved your project for OCM. I loved that it was just me and my fans getting to actually know each other in an intimate setting. I want you on my team."

"What about Malakai Taylor?"

"Your creativity and his skills will make a perfect combination. You're both on board."

Elena took a second to process what he was saying. She had a job. She had the job she wanted and she was going to work for the artist everyone was talking about. She had made it.

"How about some champagne to celebrate?" she offered, feeling like a "normal" person would naturally suggest it.

"I never decline champagne."

The bottle was here barely a minute later. Elena thanked the clerk, tipped him generously and returned to the living-area. Clancy took it upon himself to open the bottle and pour two glasses.

"To our new careers!"

They clinked glasses. Clancy downed the content of his, but Elena barely took a sip before putting her glass down.

"Ah. A bit of bubbly with a beautiful woman is always a yes in my book."

Elena cleared her throat and looked down. She sat straighter in the couch and assumed a more professional position.

"Please don't do that," she said.

"What? Compliment you?"

"Yes. And those looks you have been giving me, they – they make me uncomfortable."

"Why? I'm harmless."

"I will have this relationship remain strictly professional. And… my heart is taken."

Clancy laughed at her ingenuity. It truly was refreshing to see a girl so honest, so pure… unfazed by the business.

"Message received," he said. "But… you do know some of your professional duties will flirt with the personal, right?"

"Such as?"

"The pool party I'm throwing for all the new faces of OCM in two weeks, for example."

"A p – a pool party? No, I…I don't do that."

Clancy smirked and got to his feet.

"You do now, Elena."

She walked him to the door, too stunned about what he had just said and wondering what other nonsense came with the job.

 **A/N: Quite a lengthy chapter, eh? Elena and Katherine had a fight about Stefan - may he rest in peace - but what does that tell you about who he was to the girls? Also, I'm really curious to know what you think of Clancy and Elena's officiel first meeting. And what's with Jeremy's hush money? What does he know? So many questions, uh? Maybe you'll get some answers or at least some clues for next chapter ;) All my love - M xx**


	12. Broken Strings - Part 1

**Broken Strings – Part 1**

First day at work, Elena thought as she opened her eyes that morning. The thought was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Since Damon's visit, she hadn't stopped making up scenarios in her head about how this would go. How would Malakai react to the news of having to work with her? Would Camille be happy to see her back?

All these questions – and so much more, notably about that pool party Damon had mentioned – ran through her head as she picked her clothes for the day. Refusing to deviate too much from her usual wardrobe, she picked black carrot pants, a pain white t-shirt, an oversize beige blaze and matching flats. Facing the mirror, she tied her hair in the usual high bun and applied very little makeup.

A few moments later, she grabbed her bag and went on her way.

* * *

Katherine was also getting ready for her first day at work, in a radically different atmosphere. She had music blaring in her bedroom and danced to the rhythm as she imagined what her first English photoshoot would be like. Mainly, she wondered if the photographer would be cute. Jokes aside, she wanted to make a strong first impression, so she went for a long-sleeved red crop top and the matching pencil skirt (with a twist, an outrageous slit) and nude pumps.

Since the shoot was mainly a test to assess which project she could work on and if she had "it", she wore no makeup that day, but her face was radiant nonetheless. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, grabbed her bag and went to the living-room where Grayson was having his coffee, still in his pajamas.

"See you later, Daddy!"

Grayson discarded his breakfast to walk her to the door. Once there, he kissed her cheek.

"You look stunning, sweetheart."

She smiled and opened the door, not expecting to be faced with the postman. Katherine nodded to him and went on her way. Her taxi was waiting for her at the end of the driveway.

"Mister Grayson Gilbert?" the postman asked.

"Yes?"

"A letter from Atlanta for you, sir."

"Th-thank you. Have a nice day."

Hearing the sound of her father's voice, Katherine halted her walk and tuned around to observe him. He looked miserable. The postman shrugged when she silently interrogated him. She walked back to the doorstep.

"What is this, Daddy?"

"Erm…the… the divorce papers."

"Oh."

"Off you go, sweetheart, you don't want to be late for your first day on the job."

"I… okay. I'll see you later."

She kissed the top of her head and left.

* * *

Walking side by side with her sister, Elena huffed.

"Why are your clothes always so…?"

"So wow? Because red is my color and it works wonders with the light," Katherine said.

"I was going to say visible," Elena said through her teeth, maintaining a smile. "Everybody is staring at us."

"No," Katherine corrected. "Everything is staring at me."

Elena snorted as they stopped to wait for the elevator to come down.

"Of course. Why would anybody see me standing next to you, sweet angel?"

Deciding she'd had enough of Katherine for one day, Elena left her sister there, going for the stairs. Too shocked to react, Katherine didn't move.

When they met again at the top floor, where Camille and Klaus were expecting them, the twins had the same fake smile on their face when they greeted their bosses.

* * *

Grayson looked around him to assess the level of disaster around her. Three empty cups of coffee, five cigarettes in the ashtray and another one in his mouth. He was staring at the divorce papers, as if challenging them to do or say something that might soothe the raging feelings thundering inside of him. But there they stayed, blatantly mocking him. He had been the one to initiate this whole thing after all, so why couldn't he just man up and sign the damn papers?

Annoyed at his weakness, he picked up a pen from the coffee table, approached it from the dotted line and…ended up throwing it away with a furious groan. Signing those papers would have to wait. Before that, there were unanswered questions he needed answers to. He picked up his phone. It took him a while to find the name he was looking for. Had he changed phones since they last talked? Had he deleted the number?

"Finally," he breathed as he found the right contact card.

He dialed the number and soon enough, his old friend picked up.

"John? It's Grayson."

"Grayson… Grayson…Gilbert?"

"Yes."

"Gilbert, you old dog! It's been a minute, uh?"

"Yes, I know. Are you still in the PI business?"

"Sure. Housewives and cheating husbands, you know the drill."

Grayson forced a laugh.

"I bet you're still pricey too, uh?"

"For you, it's on the house."

"I never said I –"

"Come on, man. Time is money, you know what they say!"

"I need you to find someone," Grayson said, his voice hollow.

* * *

Miranda was lying on her bed, on her back, her hands folded on her stomach. She had bags under her bloodshot eyes; she hadn't been sleeping for a while now.

The ringtone of her phone gave her a start. It was a call from Irma Santos, her assistant in Atlanta. She sighed, but picked up anyway.

"Hello, Irma. Anything urgent?"

"Hello, Mrs Gilbert. Yes, a letter was just messengered to you. Would you like me to forward it to your hotel in Mystic Falls?"

"Just open it and tell me what it is."

"Madam, I think it would be best to –"

"Irma."

"Yes, madam."

Miranda listened in as Irma ripped the envelope open and gasped.

"Well?" Miranda pushed.

"Well… madam, I…erm. Those are divorce papers."

Miranda scoffed. How many times would she have to tell people there was a line not to be crossed when it came to business and personal matters?

"From who? I'm tired of these politicians thinking I'm here to fix their love li –"

"From your husband, madam."

Miranda's breath got caught in her throat. She didn't think Grayson would go this far. She bit her lip to remain calm and collected when speaking to her employee.

"Have them forwarded to me immediately at the address I gave you."

"Yes, madam."

"Nobody hears about this, or so help me God –"

"Of course, madam. Of course."

Miranda cut the conversation short and got up from bed to get her disposable phone. She dialed Marcel, who picked up immediately.

"Where are you? I need to see you both, right now."

* * *

Camille and Elena were alone in her office. There was no breakfast or pastries this time, just water. Camille's face was amicable as usual, but much more serious.

"Clancy King was very impressed with your work," she said.

Elena smiled.

"He came by to give me the good news in person, yes."

"I'm glad he went against our decision to let you sit this one out. You've got good instinct, Elena."

"Thank you."

"But instinct can only get you so far in this business."

Elena nodded and fiddled with her bag. She had a notebook and a pencil-case at the ready. After another hesitation, she pulled them out.

"I know I have a lot to learn and I'm ready to put in the work."

Camille, seeing the notebook, smiled tenderly at her. Almost like a mother's smile. Elena laughed uncomfortably.

"It helped me keep track of my clients' cases."

Camille made an approving face.

"Discipline and organization. Now, that will get you further. But what you should be writing down is: be ruthless."

"I don't understand," Elena said; she thought she had left her "shark" days behind.

Camille smiled again; a patient smile this time.

"Clancy paired you up with Malakai Taylor…"

"Yes."

"Malakai Taylor…Mikaelson."

"He is Klaus' son?"

Camille nodded.

"He knows all about the business and being ruthless. We all do. And for now, Malakai is better than you. I can't have that."

Elena put down her notebook and pen back in her bag. She crossed her legs and gave Camille a polite smile. There was a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Forgive me for asking, but… what exactly do you expect of me, Camille?"

"I want you to be… the new me."

Elena was about to take a sip of her drink of water, but she put the glass down. Why would someone want to give her such a break in the business after barely interviewing her?

"I'm sure there are a dozen women more qualified for the position."

"There are," Camille said. "But I want someone different. Someone like me."

"I appreciate the compliment."

Camille got up as started pacing around her office, looking at autographed pictures of the artists she had worked with, all saying the same thing: none of this would have happened without you.

"When Nik and I started this business, I knew nothing about nothing," she said, the hint of a nostalgic smile in her voice. "He took a chance on me. And now, I'm taking a chance on you."

"Because my father asked you to?"

Camille laughed frankly.

"I met your father once, when he was writing about one of my clients."

Elena blushed and immediately regretted her outburst.

"I'm sorry. Sometimes it's hard to know what I've earned and what's given to me."

"And you want to earn it, don't you?"

Elena nodded.

"Then consider me your fairy godmother. I will teach you what I know. Don't let Malakai outshine you.

Elena nodded again, like a good little soldier.

"What do I need to do?"

Camille came to sit back down. Elena felt a shiver run down her spine at the look in her boss' eyes; things were about to get interesting, she could feel it.

"First of all, build a relationship with Clancy King before Kai does, or you lose. Trust is crucial with all of our clients, but singers especially."

Elena nodded.

"then, you need to bring in another client. Your sister doesn't count, unfortunately."

Elena discreetly rolled her eyes at the mention of Katherine. The mere idea of running into her every day at work made her blood boil.

"Kai only works with musicians, so I suggest you do the same."

Elena frowned and suddenly gasped.

"I have someone! A girl, a – a woman! She's brilliant, incredible voice. I've never heard anything like it before."

"Good. Is she willing to be signed?"

"I… I think so. She's doing open-mic nights to get her music out there, so that'd be a good break for her."

"Offer her a contract and book her for Clancy's pool party."

"Yes madam."

Camille relaxed in her chair, feeling like her plan was unfolding perfectly. She would have found a way to bring Elena back to OCM, but the fact that she hadn't had to meddle was even better. There was something about that girl that reminded her of herself. She only hoped Elena wouldn't be repeating the same mistakes. She smiled at her.

"Now I suggest you go meet with your partner before they wonder what we're conspiring."

"Of course."

Elena got to her feet and opened the door. She paused and turned to Camille with a bright smile.

"Thank you, Camille."

"No. Thank you."

Elena left her boss alone, now on a mission to find Malakai. She hadn't seen him when she arrived and she wasn't seeing him anywhere now either. She sat across the reception, in the waiting area, tapping her foot nervously. People who were late drove her insane. As a lawyer, time was an invaluable thing to have and/or to waste. In this case, she was royally wasting her time, hoping the boss' son would have the courtesy to be on time.

She checked her phone for the time; it's was past 10am. She had been waiting for a solid half-hour since she left Camille's office. She sighed and got to her feet, walking to the intern reception, April Young.

"If you see Malakai Taylor, please tell him to wait for Elena Gilbert here. I'm going to have a smoke."

"Sure thing."

Elena went for the elevator, shaking her head.

Once she was out, she found a bench not too far from the entrance and sat there. She picked up her phone to call Jeremy. He answered immediately.

"Hey there, Lena!"

"You're in a good mood…"

"Yeah… I am. What's up?"

"I just needed to talk. About my new job"

"Bonnie told me all about it. You're hanging with the big dogs, uh?"

Elena smiled despite herself. Jeremy had a childish tendency to get excited about the slightest things; that often left him sorely disappointed, but maybe this time, he was right.

"It's one big dog. And honestly, I don't think that's really why I'm here. The boss basically just told me she wants to groom me to take her place someday."

"What? My Lena, being the big boss? I like the sound of that!"

"Yeah. Except I have to take down my partner in the process."

"Then take him down, and be fast about it, hmm? Don't go soft of me now, Elena. Lock him up in the bathroom before your next meeting."

"You are twelve," Elena laughed.

"And you're a woman, Lena. You have to play dirty like the men sometimes if you want to make things happen."

Elena finally lighted up her cigarette and took a long drag out of it. She saw the short silence as an opportunity to change the subject.

"Speaking of men being assholes, what's going on with Bonnie?"

Jeremy sighed.

"You two and your big mouths! Nothing is going on. But you already know that, don't you?"

"Hmm hmm. Do something about it," she ordered.

"Lena, I can't…"

"I want you to be happy, Jeremy," she interrupted. I want Grace to have a woman in the house if I'm not going to be there. So do something about it and I'll lock Malakai in the bathroom. Deal?"

Jeremy laughed.

"Who's twelve, now?"

"Deal?"

"Deal."

"Good. I have to go find the idiot, now."

"Bye Lena. You know I love you, right?3

"Just like I love you."

* * *

Katherine's test photoshoot was going absolutely perfectly. She couldn't have wished for anything better. The crew was ready to satisfy her every desire, the set was beautiful and her red outfit was a miracle with the light of the studio.

Naturally, she poses to the rhythm of the music that was blaring in the studio. The wind in her hair, she took different positions: lying on the floor, standing up on a couch, making silly faces… her body took all the right postures, her face had all the right expressions.

After a while, Sam, the photographer, gestures for his assistant to turn the music off.

"I've got everything I need, love," he said.

"Already?"

"Yeah, you're a natural."

Katherine pouted playfully.

"But I was just starting to have fun!"

Sam picked up on the slight inflexion in her voice that was an invitation. Looking at her, he knew he wouldn't resist. She was absolutely divine.

"Who says the fun has to end?" he said.

"What do you have in mind."

Sam simply smirked at her. They exchanged a look and the assistant shook his head. He had been this particular scene unfold one too many times.

* * *

When Elena returned from smoking, April pointed in the direction of Malakai, who was making small talk with colleagues.

"Is he always like this?" Elena asked.

"No, you got him on a good day. Kai never shows up before 2pm."

"Just my luck," Elena sighed.

"I've got a message for you, from Cami."

The young girl handed Elena a post-it. _Clancy expects you and Kai at his house ASAP_. Elena stared at Malakai, who was laughing with his friends. She looked at April, who gave her a shrug and a frown.

"Something wrong."

"No. I'm just wondering…" she began. "Everything's fine, April, thanks."

Elena walked up to Malakai and tapped his shoulder, amusing her new colleagues. She must have looked like an angry teacher facing a difficult student.

"I've been waiting for you for an hour."

"I'm here, sweetheart. What's up?"

"Don't call me that."

She waved the post-it under his nose.

"Clancy King wants us at his house after lunch."

"Alright," Kai said with a seductive smile. "How about I take you to lunch then we share a cab, hmm?"

Elena huffed, annoyed at his constant attempts to flirt with her. She shook her head and gave him a radiant smile.

"How about I have lunch with someone whose company I enjoy and we meet there at 2pm, hmm?"

"Suit yourself, darling."

Elena realized Camille was observing the whole scene. She discreetly nodded at her, showing the small piece of paper as she walked alone to the elevator. Camille nodded back, her face unreadable.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay and the typos, I've been in a rush all week and didn't get time to properly prepare this for you guys. But I'll go through it later and fix any and all mistakes. So... Elena's going rogue and she'll have Clancy/Damon all to herself. And Grayson...who do you think he wants to find? I'll try and post a new chapter by next Thursday, promise. Love you all xxx M.**


	13. Broken Strings - Part 2

**Broken Strings – Part 2**

"I never should have done that," Elena says, her mouth full of the sandwich Luka bought for her.

Jonas seemed amused by her sudden distress, but even more by her sudden slyness. He didn't think she had it in her.

"He shouldn't have been late, sweetie. Plus, it's not that bad. He'll just show up a little late…as per usual."

"Two hours late. I'm a terrible person. I'm going to call him now and fix this."

Jonas frowned at her and quickly turned his head to look at her, in the passenger seat. Luka decided that was his cue to act. He was sitting in the back, but got closer to Elena, his elbows on the back of her seat.

"Girl, don't be silly. He'll do worse to you, trust me."

"But I don't want to be the one who started it!"

"Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes, you've got to toughen up. This is the music business; these people are sharks!"

Elena flinched at the word. She used to be a shark and apparently, still was.

"What would you know, Luka? You haven't worked a day in your life, boy."

Suddenly, the tension between father and son became palpable. Luka sat back into his seat, folding his arms across his chest. Elena's unease grew. She turned to Luka and offered him the rest of her sandwich with a grimace; she was too nervous to eat.

"Janet said to be ruthless. But maybe this is below the belt."

"Not the way he'd like, it ain't," Luka said.

"Luka Martin!" his father choked.

"What? He wants to date her, it's obvious from what she told us."

"And I don't date, so that's that. What do I even tell Clancy when I get there?"

"Say nothing. Let's see how Kai reacts. He won't tell on you, that'd make him look unprofessional. But be prepared for his revenge."

"Revenge? Oh God. I started a war!"

The Martins laughed softly at how panicky she was getting for something they deemed quite funny. Elena buried her face into her hands.

"I'll call him and tell him to come as soon as he can."

"You will do no such thing."

Jonas gave Luka a look in the rear mirror and his son swiftly took Elena's phone from her hands.

"Hey! Give it back!"

They bickered like children for a moment, then Luka put the phone in the back pocket on his jeans and sat back quietly.

"Let Kai figure it out for himself, okay?"

"I think I hate you both today."

The Martins laughed and the drive continued with Elena sulking.

* * *

John, dressed in black from head to toe, was driving his car as slowly as possible, two cars behind a light grey Mercedes. Miranda's car. He was on the phone with Grayson at the same time.

"What's happening?"

"She just got out of the car. There's a man with her, but he's way over thirty."

"Looks like a thug, doesn't he?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"That's Marcel. He'll lead you to Stefan. Be careful, he's a pro."

"So am I, remember? I'll call you when I know more, pal."

"Thanks, John. Means a lot."

John parked his car and used a portable parabolic dish to listen in on Miranda and Marcel's conversation.

"…didn't feel safe coming out," Marcel said.

"That's precisely why I wanted you to bring him here. It's risk-free."

"He's scared, Miranda. Maybe I can take you to him instead."

Miranda sighed.

"Yes. Please. I don't have much time left."

"Before what?"

"We'll talk about that later. Let's go."

John gave the Mercedes a little head start and followed it cautiously.

* * *

Katherine was walking alone, clad in a coat although the weather was more than clement. She hadn't changed from her photoshoot clothes, but she didn't want to be noticed anymore. She was walking with her head down, her hands holding her coat around her. Her phone buzzed in her purse. She sighed but checked it anyway.

It was a text from Sam, the photographer. _Love your idea of fun. Let's do it again soon baby xx._ Katherine bit on her lower lip and a tear rolled down her cheek. She furiously wiped it away and stopped at a flower stall on the market. The florist, a blonde woman in her fifties, smiled at her.

"What can I get you, love?"

"I'm looking for flowers… to pay my respects to a loved one."

"Oh. I can whip something quick for you, if you'd like."

"Yes, please."

Katherine stared in the void as the woman tied up a bouquet of lilies, white roses, chrysanthemum, baby's breaths and pittosporums.

"There you have it. Will it do?" the woman asked, showing her work to Katherine.

"It's beautiful, thank you."

"It's on the house, too."

"Oh no, please."

"Nonsense. You look miserable. I'd feel terrible taking your money."

Katherine offered her a small smile.

"Thank you, madam. Really. Thanks."

She accepted the bouquet and looking at it, she began to cry softly. The florist gave her a friendly pat on the back.

"Go on, darling. Go pay your respects."

Katherine nodded and wandered towards to woods until she found a place that she loved, not one that Stefan would have liked. The area wasn't deserted, but she didn't care. She walked halfway across a bridge and held on to the guardrail. She was still silently crying; her face was flooded by tears and her makeup was running.

"I know what I was to you. I – I know you didn't love me. But I wish you were here. Things would be so different."

She held the bouquet on her stomach and looked down at it.

"I just wanted to say that Lena's not the only one missing you. I didn't forget you. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything when I could. I love with that every day and it's killing me."

She laughed through her tears.

"Probably not the best choice of words to talk to a dead guy."

She sniffled.

"I'm sorry, Stefan. Sorry for what I did and for what I'm about to do..."

She paused, her tears turning into sobs. People threw her glanced but she dismissed them politely.

"She'll hate us. I don't want to tarnish her memory of you, but I can't keep this to myself anymore. I'm sorry."

She inhaled deeply and threw the bouquet over the bridge, watching it be taken away by the current until she could no longer see it.

* * *

Clancy opened the door and saw Elena alone. He threw her one of his ladykilller smiles and was surprised when she returned it. She was finally playing into the game, he thought. Good for her.

"Are you alone?" he asked.

"Malakai's not here?"

"Haven't seen him if he is."

Clancy walked Elena to the living-room, where there were still a few boxes from his house-cleaning. Of her own accord, she chose to sit at the table, not on the couch.

"I'm sorry. He was supposed to meet me here at noon."

"Well…did you have lunch?"

"Yes, thank you."

She took out her notebook and pencil case.

"Let's get started without him, he'll catch up."

Clancy was amused at how fast she had retreated into her wall of professionalism.

"Alright, then. What do you have in mind?"

"Play me something. So I can get a sense of where we're going."

Clancy raised an eyebrow at her.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

"I haven't had a lady in here in ages… Look at all the mess. Plus, I don't play for strangers."

"Sorry to say, but you might want to reconsider your career path, then."

"I meant when it's so intimate."

Elena lowered her head, got to her feet and paced around the room. She noticed he must have taken down a lot of things recently. He wanted a clean slate, just like her.

"Intimate, uh…"

She cleared her throat and played with the hem of her jacket.

"That's what I can an audience of one. Where is Kai when you need him, uh?"

"Yeah…"

At that moment, Elena heard Camille's voice in her head, telling her to build a relationship with Clancy before Malakai did. The girl immediately gave her face a friendlier look and sat on the couch.

"Do you mind if I call you Damon? I have a hard time with aliases and nicknames."

"Again, I'd say yes if you weren't a stranger."

Elena nodded. Clancy took a sit at the piano.

"How about working on making me a non-stranger, then? We'll talk business when Malakai gets here."

Clancy laughed.

"You don't take no for an answer, do you?"

She could sense he was hesitant. She could also see he was undeniably attracted to her; that might be a tool she'd use at some point, if she mustered the courage.

"Fine," he said after a while.

He turned around and began toying with the keys, regularly producing a deluge of random notes throughout the dialogue.

"Tell me about yourself, then," he prompted.

Elena smiled, enjoying the little win.

"Well… I used to be a lawyer, but you know that. I went to boarding school in several countries because my mother is a diplo—"

"Boring! Anyone could find that out. Go deeper."

Elena bit her lip, glad he had his back turned on her.

"What do you want to know?" she asked, knowing she'd end up regretting it.

"Why did you quit your job? Rumor has it, it was quite sudden."

Elena laughed.

"You could say that. I went to court, won a case and handed my resignation latter all on the same day. I just couldn't do it anymore."

"Do what?"

Elena took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I was a good lawyer, but it didn't make me excited to get up in the morning. It wasn't me. I had become someone I didn't know how to be anymore. So I quit. Quite suddenly."

"Wow. I didn't know gossip got it right sometimes!"

They both laughed.

"And why did you choose OCM to start over?"

"Old dreams…"

This time, Clancy stopped playing and turned around. Elena frowned, and so did he. She was surprising, he was intrigued.

"The way you said that," he noticed. "It sounded like heartbreak. Whose heart did you break, Elena Gilbert?"

She shrugged with a careless smile.

"Malakai's? He's asked me out twice already, but I don't date, so…"

"I'm serious. Looking like you do, you've got to have been someone's heartbreak."

"More like someone's mistake."

"Is that why you don't date?"

Elena simply nodded, her breath shaky.

"You know, Damon…"

She gave him a shy smile, waiting to see if he would correct her for using his name, but he didn't.

"We want the same thing, you and I."

"And that is…?"

"Take off the mask and find our true selves, no matter the consequences."

Clancy said nothing for a while but ended up nodding.

"All I ask is that you let me see you so I can help you get there," Elena insisted.

"I can see why you were such a good lawyer, now," Clancy snorted.

He turned around again, facing the piano. He cracked his neck and fingers, preparing to play. He went for _Wanted_ , a song by a young artist Hunter Hayes. That was as different from Golden Arrows as night was different from day.

Elena listened to the sound of his voice, deep and soothing as he approached the chorus, her favorite part of that song.

 _I wanna wrap you up, wanna kiss your lips, I wanna make you feel wanted. And I wanna call you mine, wanna hold your hand forever, and never let you forget it. Yeah I wanna make you feel wanted._

Elena mouthed every word of the song with Clancy, her eyes closed, glad he couldn't see her but unaware he didn't miss a beat thanks to the mirror above the piano. He stopped playing and kept his back turned on her to give her a minute to compose herself. The lyrics seemed to have struck a nerve.

"That's teen music, but… it gives you a general idea."

"I've heard that song before. It's country, not pop music."

"Let's say it's country music 2.0. And that's beside the point anyway. Can you get me there?"

Elena smiled.

"I see you, Damon Salvatore. And I'll make you feel wanted, too."

He raised an eyebrow at her, which only gave her more confidence to speak.

"I've got a lot to learn, but I'll make sure everybody else sees you too."

Clancy turned around with a bit of a childish look on his face.

"Is that a promise?"

"As a lawyer, I was taught never to promise anything, but… yes. I promise."

The smile they exchanged after that had everything intimate about it, the atmosphere filled with something strange. Elena tapped her foot on the wooden floor and kneaded the couch to stop herself from getting up to hug him.

The doorbell rang, breaking the moment. Clancy got to his feet slowly to get the door and Elena sighed in relief when she heard Malakai's voice.

She put her hand on her chest when she noticed her heart was beating fast and her breath was coming out ragged.

 **A/N: So...I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but here it is: Damon and Elena's first actual moment alone! What did you think of their interaction? also, poor, sad Katherine made a strange confession to Stefan and Grayson is having Miranda followed... Can't seem to catch a break in this family! See you for another update soon xxx M.**


	14. Broken Strings - Part 3

**Broken Strings - Part 3**

Stefan was sitting on the floor reading a book. He was a fair-skinned American man of 32; his face gave away his age, but his personality seemed to be stuck at 19, when his life changed forever and he got into hiding. He was wearing his hear long and was trying to grow a beard at the moment. He was wearing an oversized black jumper and sweatpants.

He didn't move when he heard six knocks on the door, signaling that Marcel was back. The two men hadn't been talking much that day.

"Hello, there," Miranda said.

Stefan discarded his book and ran into her arms.

"Randa, you came!"

"Of course I came! I've missed you. And…I come bearing gifts."

Stefan's eyes illuminated. Miranda's gifts were always related to Elena. This time, it was a picture. He observed every detail about it: the different way she had done her hair and makeup, and that dres…

"I took it at her birthday dinner."

"She's so beautiful…And sexy!"

A frown appeared on his face when he realized the implications of what he had just said.

"Does she have a boyfriend?"

Miranda caressed his cheek.

"No boyfriend, honey. I told you: Elena loved you and only you."

"But she thinks I'm dead, Randa…"

"Her heart still belongs to you."

That seemed to appease Stefan. His smile returned.

"How's her career going?"

"Well… she moved to Mystic Falls. She works in music, now.

Stefan gasped.

"She's here? Where? Where does she work?"

"We're not ready for her to see you just yet, Stefan…"

"We need to get me ready, then. Please."

"That's what I came here to talk about, yes," she said with a motherly smile.

"Miranda… I should be the one discussing this with you, shouldn't I?" Marcel said.

She gestured for him to come sit with her and Stefan. He had been sitting in a corner further away, as usual when Miranda and Stefan talked.

"I think we should move you two out of there," Miranda said. "To a real house, with windows and light. Where he can see people passing by and all."

"In the suburbs, then. Secluded, but not hidden."

"Yes. He's been talking only to you and I for ten years… He needs to get out a bit and get used to 2016. We'll get him a TV and a phone."

"My own phone?" Stefan marveled. "Oh, thank you, Miranda!"

Her face became serious at once.

"You'll only have my number and Marcel's, Stefan. You cannot contact anyone else, you know that."

"I know."

"What else?" Marcel asked, sensing Miranda was far from done.

"We'll get him a haircut and buy him some new clothes so he doesn't stand out."

"But I want Elena to recognize me."

"She will. She'll see the best version of you, honey."

Stefan closed his eyes and imagined himself in a suit, meeting Elena wearing the dress from her birthday; a picture perfect couple.

"So I can get out…" he prompted.

"Once a day and always with me, kid," Marcel said.

"Yes, but I'll be out! I can talk to people!"

Miranda observed the exchange with a smile. Marcel and Stefan had grown deep bonds in the decade they had spent together; Marcel felt obliged to the young man and did everything necessary to protect him, while Stefan looked up to Marcel as an older brother he could trust with anything. That brought some comfort to Miranda's heart. At least, Stefan wasn't alone to carry his burden.

"Stefan, would you be a dear and go to your room? I need to speak with Marcel alone before I leave."

Stefan kissed Miranda's cheek and disappeared swiftly, all too happy about the positive change he had been expecting for months.

* * *

John's phone rang. It was Grayson. John laughed at his old friend's lack of patience.

"Yes, Grayson?"

"Anything yet?"

"Haven't seen the kid. The house is underground. They keep him well-hidden and the walls are too think for me to listen in."

"I could just meet you there and barge in…"

"I'm pressure they'll be on the move as soon as she leaves. They've got to have a bunch of safe houses. That's what I'd do and you seemed to say this Marcel character is a pro, so…"

Grayson sighed.

"Thanks for trying, John. At least, now I'm sure she's got that kid somewhere."

"I'll call you back when she gets out."

* * *

Marcel smiled at Miranda as she sighed.

"It's wonderful, what you're doing for him."

"What we're doing. You've been my rock every step of the way."

Marcel smiled again and went to put a kettle on. Miranda took a deep breath and closed her eyes before she spoke, dreading his reaction.

"I want to get him out sooner."

Marcel gave up on the kettle and came back to sit in front of her.

"Why?"

Miranda sighed, reached into her bag and showed him the divorce papers. Marcel inhaled deeply, his face angry.

"Foolish man. You're doing this to save this boy's life and heal your family!"

"Grayson doesn't understand that. But if I bring Stefan back now, I still have a chance to…save my marriage."

A tear rolled down her face. Marcel immediately got to his feet, making her stand up, and enclosed her in a warm embrace. Miranda closed her eyes, relaxing into his arms.

"It feels nice not to be judged."

"I've got your back, Miranda. Always."

Miranda broke away from him.

"I should go now. I've got to call Grayson, try and talk some sense into him."

Marcel simply nodded and walked her outside the underground safe house. Her car was already ready to go.

"Are we good on the plan?" she asked. "I'll send you money for the house, you pick the location."

"I have a few ideas."

"Thank you, Marcel," she breathed. I really appreciate having you to lean on."

Marcel's smile resurfaced and he allowed himself to indulge a feeling that had been growning inside him. He leaned in to kiss her. Miranda jumped a little, but didn't push him away. When they broke apart, she gave his a tight-lipped, sorry smile. She touched his chest gently, silently telling him he shouldn't cross that line again.

She got into her car… and even Marcel had no idea they were being watched.

* * *

"Erm… there's something else," John said.

"What? What happened? The boy isn't safe with Marcel?"

"You're the one who ain't safe, bro. Just saw that guy kissing your lady."

"Oh. Erm… Oh. Th-thanks for letting me know."

John nodded and hung up. When a sigh, he lit a cigarette.

* * *

Grayson lit the last cigarette in his pack and threw the empty pack away in frustration. Miranda and Marcel kissing? He frowned, failing to understand. He wasn't even angry at this point, just hurt. He rubbed his face with one hand and got his phone with the other to text his wife.

 _Meet me at our café in an hour._

He let himself fall back in his chair, taking a long drag out of his cigarette, triggering a coughing fit.

* * *

Jeremy and Grace came into the house from school. The little girl threw her bag on the floor and her dad picked it up. He smiled.

"Gracie, you're looking for trouble, eh? I told you to put your bag in your room when you come home."

"Oops."

She grabbed the bag from his hand and obediently went to put it away. Jeremy smiled as he watched her stroll away. By the time she came back, changed into home clothes, he had her collation ready: apple sauce, hot chocolate and cookies.

"Thanks, Dad. Where is Bonnie? She picks me up from school."

"She had to work today, baby."

"Oh. Okay. Too bad."

Jeremy observed his daughter curiously, looking for the best way to bring up the conversation to the table.

"You like Bonnie, don't you, Gracie?"

She nodded vigorously.

"I love her. She is pretty and she is nice. And you love her too, no?"

"Yes," Jeremy laughed. "She is nice."

"Can she live here with us?"

Jeremy paused for a moment, his face comically surprised. Grace was only 4, but incredibly observant. Frowning, he wondered how long she'd had that idea in her head.

"Do you want her to?"

"Yes! I can have a mamma like the others at school."

This time, all traces of surprise or amusement drained from Jeremy's face. He interrupted the girl's eating by grabbing her into his arms to go sit on the couch, Grace on his lap.

"You already have a mamma, Gracie, you know that."

"She is never here."

"But she loves you very much and it would make her sad to know you want another mamma."

Grace stopped to think for her a second, but immediately recovered her hopeful smile.

"Can my mamma come back home, daddy?"

There was a moment of silence. Jeremy made a face. The sadness and incomprehension on his daughter's face were breaking his heart.

"This is a grown-up problem, baby, but your mamma can't come back."

"Can we go see her?"

"Like I said," he insisted too quickly," it's a complicated grown-up problem. But… you would be happy if Bonnie came to live with us, uh?"

Grace immediately forgot all about her mother and gave him a toothy grin.

"You can marry her forever!"

Jeremy shook with silent laughter and ruffled his daughter's hair before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Go back to your food, little monster."

* * *

There were already two empty cups of coffee in front of Grayson when Miranda showed up to the café. As she walked in, she couldn't help but remember the last time they had come here, about ten years ago. They were dressed much more casually, her hair longer, his beard fully-grown. They were happy, then.

Grayson was sitting at their usual table in the corner. They had chosen that table because they could whisper sweet nothings to her other, kiss and laugh without being disturbed. The perspective was so radically different today that Miranda felt her eyes water.

Grayson's face was hard. He was drumming his fingers on the table, mumbling to himself and smoking an e-cigarette. Miranda joined him at the table.

"You're smoking again?" she asked.

"You're late."

Their waitress approached them with the beverage Grayson had ordered.

"Sorry, I was –"

"Busy kissing your henchman, yes , I know."

The waitress turned around to give them some privacy but her manager gestured for her to go back.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said. "Jasmine tea for the lady and an espresso for the gentleman."

"Thank you, dear," Miranda said coldly.

As soon as the young woman was gone, Miranda leaned over the table.

"You're having me followed?"

"You left me no other choice."

"Grayson…

"How long?"

"Excuse me?"

"How long have you been sleeping with him?"

Miranda was taking a sip of her tea; it burned her tongue and she let out a small sound of pain.

"I already told you there's no other man. Marcel surprised me with that kiss; it won't happen again."

"It won't be any of my business once you sign these."

Grayson reached into his bah and slid the divorce papers towards Miranda. Her face hardened and she put her cup down.

"I'm not signing anything."

He sighed.

"You really want to play that game?"

"This ain't no game, Grayson Gilbert. This is our family."

"You should have thought about that before you lied to us."

"I'm bringing him back."

Grayson froze, his cup of coffee halfway through his mouth. He put it down and sat back into the chair.

"You wanted the truth and I told you. You wanted Stefan back and I'm working on it. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Everything is a negotiation to you, Miranda."

There was a long moment of silence. Grayson's eyes betrayed his hesitation.

"I still want a divorce."

Miranda took the papers and scanned through them, to the bottom line of the last page.

"You haven't signed them either."

Grayson huffed and rolled his eyes. A hopeful smiled appeared on Miranda's face. This was a game she could play, and could play well.

 **A/N: An early update to make up for the late one last time... Thoughts are always welcome ;) From Paris, with love xx M.**


	15. Broken Strings - Part 4

**Broken Strings – Part 4**

Jonas dropped off Elena and Kai to OCM. As they exited the car, Elena was all smiles, but Kai looked angry and worried at the same time. They made their way to the elevator in silence, but as soon as the doors closed, Kai began clapping slowly.

"You played your cards right today," he said.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He nodded his head bitterly.

"You know this means war, right?"

"Again, I have no idea what you're talking about, Malakai."

"If you think this is going to get you anywhere," he said, vaguely threatening, "think again."

Elena was determined to continue playing dumb, but never once had she let anyone walk on her toes and she certainly wouldn't be starting now. She turned to Kai with a smile.

"Why? Because your daddy's the boss?"

The elevator opened and Kai decided to answer with silence, his hands curled into fists.

When they got to Klaus' office, he was sitting at his desk and looking just as furious as his son. It was obvious, just by the look in his eyes, despite the polite smile painted on his face. A shiver of fear ran down Elena's spine – maybe she had crossed a red line? However, Camille's presence reassured her, as the blonde looked amused, but did her best to keep a neutral expression.

Elena decided to speak first.

"Good evening, Niklaus. Camille. Malakai and I just wanted to update you on what we –"

"No need, Elena. I was just on the phone with Clancy," Klaus said.

"Oh."

Realizing Malakai was in trouble by the way Klaus looked at him, Elena decided to come clean.

"The misunderstanding about the time of the meeting was entirely my fault. I was thinking something, something else came out… I didn't realize it until it was too late. It was completely unprofessional of me but please, don't hold it against Malakai."

Kai threw her an angry look, his face hard, his jaw contracting.

"Of course not, dear," Camille said. "Happens to the best of us."

"Clancy already updated us on the work you've done, so I guess it's time to go home," Klaus said."

Elena clearly felt like Camille's intervention stopped Klaus from giving everyone a piece of his mind and was thankful for the pull her boss seemed to have on him.

"Good!" Camille exclaimed. "I'm exhausted."

Concern flashed through Klaus' eyes.

"My chauffeur will take you home. Kai and I have a few things to wrap up here before we leave."

"Again, Niklaus, I'm so sorry about the mix-up."

"Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yes, sir."

"Elena, will you wait or me on your way down? I just need to grab my purse."

"Sure."

The ladies both exited Klaus' office and Janet made sure to close the door. Elena couldn't help but overhear the conversation that started as soon as Klaus thought they were gone.

"Really, Malakai? The biggest client we have and this is how you handle things?"

"Dad, she specifically said –"

"The girl is new! You should be double-checking everything she says!"

"She won't get me twice."

"You never take responsibility, do you? Damn, Kai! Don't you see what's happening?"

"I don't understand."

"Cami chose her! She's grooming her. I'd do the same for you, but you've got to start using your head."

There was a small silence. Elena closed her eyes, praying the tempest was over.

"I want you a hundred percent into this, are we clear? I don't care that she's smart or cunning. You have to be smarter. You have to be more cunning. Do you know why?"

"Because I'm your son," Malakai sighed.

"Because you're my son! And whatever you do reflects on me. I can't run an empire if my own son – "

"If your own son embarrasses you? I'm so sorry, Dad. But you know what embarrasses me? Being your son."

Elena had heard enough. Forgetting she had promised to wait for Camille, she ran to the toilet and locked herself inside, tears threatening to fall down.

After a moment when she calmed herself down, she met Jonas in the car and asked him to wait. Even though the radio was playing an upbeat song, the atmosphere was suffocating. Elena was biting her nails and Jonas was pretending not to see her state of distress, feeling kind of guilty for encouraging her to prank Kai.

Malakai finally emerged from the main entrance.

"He's alone!" Elena said with relief.

"Go ahead, sweetheart. I'll wait here."

Elena jumped out of the car and Malakai ignored her, not halting his walk.

"Malakai! I need to talk to you."

"You've done enough talking for one day."

"Please. Let me apologize."

"Oh, so you're a softie after all, uh?"

Elena didn't answer. She almost needed to run after him to catch up.

"I'm sorry for putting you in that position because I know what it feels like when a parent treats you like you're nothing but a disappointment. My mother does that a lot, so…"

This time, Kai finally stopped and faced Elena. He scoffed.

"What, you heard my daddy give me a hard time and now guilt is eating you up? You think we have some deep scars in common now, is that it?"

"I'm just… I'm sorry. I wouldn't normally have done something like that, I just I want to be good at my job and you're better than me, and I was scared that – "

"Save your little sad story. I told you, this means war."

He left her there and when Jonas interrogated her silently from the car, she shook her head, tears rolling down her face again.

* * *

When Bonnie entered the house, all the lights were off, the space only lit by candles. She made an impressed face, wondering what the occasion was. Jeremy was standing next to the table, dressed in an elegant suit. Bonnie looked down to her miserable black jeans and dark brown shirt.

"Wow," she said. "You should have told me to dress up, you look dashing."

"You look just fine… and Grace is asleep."

Bonnie smiled at the underlying tone in his voice.

"Okay…"

Jeremy gestures to the table next to him. The plates were covered with cloches and scented candles were burning there too.

"Tonight for you, madam. Caprese salad and grilled mushroom risotto."

Bonnie frowned as she took off her jacket and put her bag down.

"What's the occasion?"

"I know you've always wanted to go to Italy."

"Hmm. And?"

Jeremy's smile disappeared as he neared her, taking her hands into his.

"And I've been a pain lately, haven't I?"

"A little."

"And I said you were just Lena's best friend."

"I remember that."

"This is sorry, Bon," he said, gesturing behind him. "Please forgive me."

"So this is a date."

"It's a dinner for you."

Bonnie smiled, mildly amused.

"When are you going to call me your girlfriend? It's been over two years now."

Jeremy didn't answer and let her to the table. He pulled her chair and uncovered her plate.

"Wow. I'm impressed. Looks nice and yummy."

" _Buon appetito!_ "

* * *

Elena had changed into a simple black jumpsuit to meet Hayley (still in her crutches) and Rebekah. They were back to see Caroline perform. When she got there, the first thing she did was head to the bar.

"Hi. Can I have chili fries and a hot dog, please?"

She barely had to wait two seconds to be served and pay.

"You're really going to eat front row, Elena?"

"You shouldn't stay up, go save our seats, I'll be back."

Hayley nodded as Elena exited the bar. She found Jonas smoking a cigarette, leaning on his car.

"Oh, what would Luka say?" she teased.

"Let's just keep this between me and you and we never have to find out."

She smiled, handing him the bag of food.

"If you're going to stay here until I'm done, you must eat. And I'm going back inside before you find any objections. See ya later, Jonas!"

She ran back into the venue, leaving the older man shaking his head with a smile. She really reminded him of his Greta.

Elena make her way to the front just when Caroline entered on stage. They exchanged a smile. The audience cheered.

"Hey everyone. My name is Caroline Forbes and tonight I'm going to try and play you some nice music. Here we go."

Caroline toyed around with her guitar for a while and then began playing the intro to _Songbird Songbird_ by Fleetwood Mac. The magic operated on Elena once again. She didn't cry this time, but she definitely had the biggest smile in the rom. She wanted to sign this girl. She saw all the potential in her. And that choice of song…let's just say it took her back to happy memories of Stefan.

Elena closed her eyes for a moment and envisioned Caroline playing a proper concert venue with the huge audience cheering, Camille smiling at Elena backstage. She just had to find a way to make it happen.

The girls whispered throughout the performance and maintained a friendly face as they were sitting front row.

"Are you going to talk to her tonight?" Rebekah asked. "About signing with you?"

Elena nodded, never taking her eyes off Caroline.

"I think you're in love, Elena," Hayley teased.

Elena nodded again, laughing.

* * *

Bonnie let Jeremy enjoy the salad and half of the main course before she started giving him not-so-discreet looks. He gave her smiles and silly faces to maintain the pleasant atmosphere, but soon enough, she got bored of it.

"This… It's enough."

"Enough? Ah no, no, no, no, no! I made tiramisu!"

"I'm not talking about the food."

"I know."

"He poured her a glass of sparkling white wine, her favorite.

"You hate this wine."

"But you love it, don't you? And when I have people over, the effect of Italian wine never fails."

"You keep some here just so I can have it when I want to. I don't understand how you can do something so romantic and be so afraid of being a couple."

Jeremy groaned.

"Don't start, Bonnie."

"But we are a couple. You just don't call us that."

"We talked about this a million times.

"Let's try a million more."

Jeremy laughed, shaking his head. He had done all this to tell her she was official his girlfriend and she had found a way to turn the table on him. She was one of a kind, that Bonnie.

"I am your girlfriend."

"You are my friend and yes, you are a girl."

"And we have sex. A lot.3

"Bon', come on," he said, suddenly shy.

"What?" she laughed.

"The moment I call you my girlfriend, everything gets complicated. Don't ruin what we have.3

"And what is that?"

"We're very close friends?" he said, simply to taunt her.

Bonnie threw her napkin at his face, careful to avoid the candles. They both laughed, knowing this was now just a sparring match.

"I'm happy, Bonnie. Our life with Grace the way it is makes me happy."

"I'm happy, too. I'm happy being your girlfriend…for now."

She gave him a pointed look that he chose to ignore.

"If one day you wake up next to me and you aren't happy, walk away. From _me_."

Bonnie was solemn when she spoke.

"I'd never vanish from Gracie's life. Never. You know that."

"I know. You're not like… You're not the kind of woman who runs away. You love her."

"Just like I love you, Jeremy."

It was the first time she'd spoken those words. Her eyes were glistening and his too. Bonnie got up from her chair and sat on his lap, giving him several soft, tender kisses.

"I love you too, girlfriend," he whispered against her lips.

Bonnie giggled.

* * *

Caroline's time was up. As another artist set up a looper, Hayley and Rebekah elbowed Elena towards Caroline. As soon as their friend engaged conversation, they left the bar, thinking it best to let Elena handle this on her own.

Elena stood awkwardly in front of Caroline until she noticed her.

"Hi, my name is Elena."

"It's so nice to meet you, Elena. I've seen you around with your friends. Front row regulars."

"Yeah, you could say that."

Caroline nodded and packed up her guitar. She smiled at the few patrons who approached her to congratulated her.

"Won't you play more?" Elena said.

Caroline shrugged.

"I was just a Wildcard tonight. Two tracks. But it was fun, yeah?

"Yeah, amazing. And speaking of cards, erm…"

Elena stared at her feet while Caroline finished wrapping up her stuff. She had to play this well; one breath in the wrong direction and it would be over.

"Here," she finally said.

"Oh, you're with a label?" Caroline said.

"Not at all, I'm just… you give me too much credit. I'm just someone's assistant."

Elena bit into her lower lip and muffled a groan at her pitiful introduction. She cleared her throat and looked Caroline in the eyes with a bright smile. It was time to bring the lawyer voice back on.

"I work at O'Connell & Mikaelson and we would very much like to sign you as a client. With a voice like yours, we'll get you a record deal."

Caroline touched Elena's shoulder warmly.

"That's sweet of you, but I'm not looking. Would you fancy a drink, though?

"Erm… you're not… looking?"

"I don't want a record deal. I'm good just playing my music. Now, how about margaritas?"

"Erm…no. I don't drink and… I – I have work early tomorrow. Sorry. I've got to go.

Katherine emerged from nowhere, still in her outrageous red ensemble. Everyone was staring at her and Elena didn't quite like how "friendly" she was when she addressed Caroline.

"If you'll have me, I'm all for a margarita. Or three."

"Or five," Caroline said, laughing. "Let's to then!"

She turned to Elena.

"Good night. Thanks for the offer. I'll keep your card in case I change my mind someday."

Elena grabbed the car from Caroline's hand and scribbled her private number on the back.

"Call me if you need anything, alright?"

Caroline nodded. Katherine winked at her sister and hooked her arm around Caroline's, leading her to the bar.

* * *

Back at Katherine and Grayson's house, Grayson kept smoking, two full ashtrays on the coffee table as he stared at the divorce papers. He almost burns them twice but can't bring himself to.

Miranda was at the car rental office, a key in her hand as she prepared to drive back to Atlanta alone…

Klaus and Kai shared a meal in silence, each of them sitting at one end of the large rectangular

And at the Mystic Grill, Katherine and Caroline were dangerously flirting…

 **A/N : So... Elena's careers plans have met an unexpected end (?), Jeremy and Bonnie are finally a couple and wow, Klaus and Kai have (unsurprisingly) the WORST father/son relationship... Feel free to let me know what you thought of this chapter... Things are going to escalate very soon!**


	16. Tell the Tale - Part 1

**Tell the Tale – Part 1**

It was the end of the afternoon in the Gilberts' house. Elena was visiting her father and sister in preparation for the big Pool Party Clancy hadn't stopped talking about since day one.

Katherine was sitting on the floor while Elena, on the bed, finished taking out Katherine's old hair extensions.

"Remind me again why you need to change your hair to grey?"

"The place is going to be full of models tomorrow and I wanna slay."

"And that outfit won't be enough, yeah?"

Elena pointed to the wax swimsuit her sister planned to wear only with a pair of dark grey ripped jeans.

"You're such an attention-seeker, Katherine."

"And you actively try to repel attention, so…perfect balance!"

Elena laughed, but Katherine barely smiled. She was biting on her lower lip and twisting her fingers, both attitudes completely out of character for her.

"There," Elena said as she finished. "You're good to wash your hair."

"Thanks."

"Can you just…green-light this for me first?"

Elena reached for a black one-piece swimsuit with white geometrical designs on the front, black carrot pants, a dark blue blazer and matching sandals. Katherine pouted. She produced a pin-up style red one-piece that enhanced the cleavage and hugged the body really tight. She threw it at her sister.

"How about that under a sheer little black dress?"

Elena rolled her eyes and threw the swimsuit back at Katherine's face.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm surprised," Elena laughed.

"Was worth a try."

There was a long silence. Katherine inhaled deeply.

"Look, Elena… there's something I need to tell you."

Grayson entered the room. Unshaven, in a bathrobe he hadn't left in two days and dragging his feet, he looked terrible.

"Dinner's here," he said.

"I was going to wash my hair," Katherine protested.

"Later," he growled.

"You've been drinking, Daddy?"

Elena discreetly gave Katherine a look. She looked scared.

"Wrap your hair up and let's go. We'll talk during dinner, okay?"

* * *

Grayson and his daughters ate their pizza in utmost silence, the distant sound of the television making the only noise in the room. The sisters exchanged frequent looks, one encouraging the other to spark a conversation. Katherine opened her eyes wider and Elena put on a fake smile.

"Dad, would you like to come with us tomorrow, to Clancy's pool party?"

"I'm good, Lena."

Elena pursued her lips at the use of the nickname and Katherine closed her eyes with a sigh.

"Fine," she said. "I'll say it. Have you talked to Mamma?"

That shook Grayson out of his lethargy. He turned to Katherine with an angry frown.

"Why would I? Everything she says is a lie."

Angela's blood froze.

"Wh-what did she lie about?"

Grayson scoffed.

"You wouldn't even believe me."

Katherine cleared her throat and licked her lips as her father stared at her.

"So many years…"

Elena put her hand on top of her father's.

"Why did she tell you now?"

"I didn't give her a choice, did I?"

"Maybe she had a good reason," Katherine tried. "Maybe you can still fix it."

Elena scoffed.

"What?" Katherine said.

"Why do you always take her side?"

"Well, someone has to."

"What about Dad? Look at him. What good reason could she possibly have to lie to him and cause this?"

Katherine pretended to hesitate.

"Protecting him?"

Grayson was staring at the yellow envelope containing the divorce papers while his daughters argued.

"Maybe," Elena said. "But she shouldn't have waited so long to tell him."

"So if she'd come to him right away, it would have made a difference to you?"

"Of course, it would have! Everyone makes mistakes, he would have forgiven her. Tell her, Dad."

Without a word, Grayson got up from the table, grabbed the envelope and his pack of cigarettes and retired to his bedroom.

"Yay us," Katherine mocked. "Well done."

She groaned and took her head into her hands. Elena emptied her glass of water and got to her feet.

"I have an early start tomorrow, I'll call Jonas."

* * *

Caroline was sitting in her rocking chair with her guitar while her girlfriend, Davina Claire, was doing her nails. Davina was a short, bright and bubbly brunette, who was interning as a Junior editor with a publisher in Mystic Falls, specializing in Young Adult literature.

"So…" she said. "Are you going to call her back? The girl from the Grill?"

"Katherine? No. I mean, she's nice and all but I'm a one girl kinda gal."

Davina paused and gave Caroline an amused and exasperated look. Caroline sighed.

"No, Dav'. I'm not calling her sister. I'm not looking for a record deal. We agreed."

"But you never know when you might need her. Just… text her an apology."

"Why are you so invested in this?"

"I don't know… Maybe she can get a big pop star to come visit your students. Give'em hope."

"And sell them a dream that ain't coming true? No, thanks. I'm teaching these kids music, not fame."

Davina sighed and resumed applying her nail polish. Caroline resumed playing the guitar, her eyebrow arched as she looked at Davina. She mouthed to herself "three, two, one…"

"Didn't you say you were a little rude to her, though?" Davina said.

Caroline shook her head, put her guitar down and grabbed her phone.

"Ahem. 'Dear Elena, sorry if I seemed off when we spoke. I appreciate the offer but I'm good making music the way I am. See you around. Caroline Forbes.' Happy now?"

Davina got up from the couch and the lovers exchanged a tender kiss. They were interrupted by the beep of Caroline's phone.

"She responded already?" Davina squealed.

Caroline showed the phone to Davina with a patient smile. Sometimes, their slight age difference showed more than others.

 _No offense taken. Interested in a gig tomorrow? $500 for the evening._

Davina squealed again, taking the phone from Caroline's hands and typed _Sure. Text me the details. See you tomorrow xx._

"What did you do?" Caroline asked.

" _You_ said yes."

"What? Dav, I don't do that kind of stuff."

"We could use the money."

Caroline sighed. With her pay as a music teacher and Davina still being an intern, they sometimes struggled to make ends meet. Turning down $500 for one night would be a foolish thing to do.

"Fine. Let me see what you wrote."

Caroline got her phone back and laughed.

"I'd never add the kisses. You're so extra."

"That's why you love me, though!"

"Sadly true."

They started kissing again, in between laughs.

* * *

Jonas greeted Elena with a smile. As she was about to get in the car, Katherine came running after her, but stopped at a safe distance.

"Wait!"

"Something wrong, Katherine?"

"I had to tell you something."

"Oh yeah, sorry. With all that talk about Mum and Dad, I just –"

"You were right."

Elena smiled.

"Been known to happen. You'll have to be more specific, sis."

Elena sat the in passenger seat, leaving the door open, an amused smiled floating on her lips. Katherine didn't come any closer.

"About… about Stefan. Me and him."

Elena's smile vanished and she got out of the taxi, slamming the door behind her. Jonas turned his music ostensibly louder to give them a semblance of privacy. Katherine took a few steps towards her sister. Elena was immobile as a statue.

Katherine began softly crying.

"It was only once. We were drunk. He probably thought I was you, but.. after what you said at dinner, I thought…"

Silence. Elena showed no reaction. After a while, she got back into the car without a look for her sister. She put her seatbelt on.

"Go," she told Jonas.

"Are you sure?"

Katherine knocked on the window.

"Elena!" she pleaded.

"Go now, Jonas."

Elena didn't speak a work for the entire drive. Didn't shed a tear, didn't move, didn't breathe too hard for fear that she might explode.

* * *

Camille, Klaus, Kai and Elena were sitting next to one another in the conference room. Clancy was standing in front of them, one of his feet on a chair. He wiped the palms of his hands on his jeans, took his guitar and cleared his throat. He played a few chords to warm up, then started singing.

 _No, I don't get lonely at all. No need to try and catch my fall. I don't get scared, I don't get scared. No, I don't need your help, I'm a fighter. I don't bend, I don't break, I don't falter. I've got everything that I need._

 _How come you don't see the lie, see right through me? See the wounds, see the dark, see the cold. Why don't you save me soul? How come you don't see the lie, see right through this mask that I wear? My mind isn't there. Why don't you save me from the lies I tell?_

Camille, Klaus and Kai exchanged a puzzled look. Elena was smiling.

"Not at all once, yeah?" Clancy prompted.

"It's good," Kai said. We'll get lots of press off of that."

"Indeed," Camille said. "That will generate a lot of attention and that's precisely what your label wants for a first single."

Klaus was already taking notes on his tablet. Clancy turned to Elena. She simply smiled.

"What do you think?"

"You took off the mask, no matter the consequences. It's a good song, Damon."

Camille smiled when she heard Elena call Clancy by his real name. She winked at the girl and Elena simply nodded. Kai didn't miss the silent exchange.

"Speaking of. If you want to shake that Golden Arrows image, you should go by your real name, now," he said.

"Funny. Elena suggested it the first time we met. Thoughts, Klaus?"

"Elena's right. Smart re-branding move."

"Then we're all working for Damon Salvatore, now. Yes?"

They all exchanged glances and nodded; from then on, Clancy King no longer existed.

"Going to take some getting used to, but yeah. Damon Salvatore."

"How soon can we hear new material from Damon Salvatore? Pardon my French, but the label's executives are on my ass."

"Why?"

Elena showed him her tablet. His label's Internet page was announcing his debut album for mid-September. Damon looked up to everyone in the room and found them equally upset.

"Two months?! How do they expect me to produce a decent album in two months?"

"They don't," Klaus explained. "They want you to produce the shittiest album that won't sell so they can drop you."

Elena sighed when Damon ran a hand through his hair and swore under his breath.

"Why don't we take things one step at a time? You gotta get ready to perform with Caroline tonight."

"I think we should come up with a list of songwriters you'd like to meet first," Kai said.

"I want to write this album myself."

Klaus threw a glance at Kai.

"Go meet Caroline. We'll stay back and work something out."

Damon nodded. He and Elena exited the conference room and she briefly touched her hand to his back.

"It's all going to be alright, I promise."

"Another promise, uh?"

They exchanged a smile.

* * *

Katherine was lying on her bed, her eyes reddened from crying. She reached for her phone, still in tears.

In Atlanta, her mother was texting Marcel: _Are you ready to move in?_

When her phone rang, she plugged in her headphones.

"Hi, Kathy. How are you?"

"Mamma…" she said, crying.

"What's wrong? What's happened?"

"I made a mistake…I'm so sorry."

"Calm down, honey. Breathe. Come on, in and out, nice and slow."

Miranda's phone beeped. _From Marcel: Josh set us up, we're settled._ With a relieved smile, she put her phone down on the desk and listened in as Katherine got her breathing back to normal. She began reading the newspaper.

"Now, talk to me, baby. What happened?"

"I told her. I told Elena."

"Told her what?"

Katherine began crying again.

"About me and Stefan. That we… had a thing."

Miranda dropped the newspaper, her face draining of all color.

"You – you told her…everything?"

"No," Katherine sniffed. "Just that."

"Thank God. How did she take it?"

"She didn't say anything! She just got into her taxi and left and now she's not returning my calls. I'm so sorry, Mamma."

"Are you sure that's all you told her? What exactly did you say?"

Katherine frowned and wiped her nose with the sleeves of her pajamas. She sat in the bed. Her voice took a childish undertone as she realized her mother's priority wasn't to make her feel better, but always, always to protect Elena.

"I said it only happened once and he probably thought I was her. What else did you want me to say?"

"Nothing would have been nice. Why did you have to tell her? She must be devastated."

"You know what, Mother, I gotta go."

She hung up before Miranda could say anything else.

"Damn it, Kathy…" Miranda said.

She picked up her phone and dialed Marcel's number, but changed her mind. She took off her headphones and sent a text message instead.

 _To Marcel: Find Elena, make sure she's alright._

The response came in immediately.

 _From Marcel: Consider it done. Do I bring Stefan?_

 _To Marcel: Yes, but don't get anywhere near her._

 _From Marcel: Don't worry. I've got you, Miranda._

Miranda sighed and touched her fingers to her lips, remembering the way he had kissed her. She shook off the feeling and put her phone down.

* * *

Stefan and Marcel were having a hot beverage on a bench that gave a direct view to the entrance of OCM but that didn't expose them. They were both wearing hats and sunglasses to make them unrecognizable in the distance.

"I can't believe I'm going to see her! It's been so long… Do you think she'll see us?"

Marcel pushed the hat harder on Stefan's head, knowing his hair was a distinguishing feature.

"Not if I'm any good at my job."

"Yes," Stefan reasoned with himself. "It's too soon."

Marcel noticed Elena coming out of the building with Caroline and Damon.

"I'm warning you, boy. No funny surprises."

"I promise, Marcel. I swear."

"Look, here she comes."

Stefan barely lowered his sunglasses to observe Elena. A blissful smile appeared on his lips. He could see her almost walking in slow motion, watching her from toe to head… her toned, exposed legs, her waist, her cleavage, her hair flying to the wind. She was a vision, the one he had been holding on to for ten years. He felt his heart threaten to beat out of his chest as he realized she was real and within walking distance. It felt as if he could reach out and touch her.

She was having an animated conversation with Caroline and Damon. Stefan frowned when she said something, hooked her arm around Damon's and nudged him with her elbow. The three started laughing.

"Who's that guy?" Stefan asked, his jealousy palpable.

"She works for him."

"Well, he's got stupid hair," he decided, talking about Damon's white hair.

"He's just her boss, relax."

"Then why is she touching him like that? Do you see the way she looks at him?"

"Lower your voice, kid."

"I'm just saying! Miranda said she didn't have boyfriend and now she's here flirting with this tool!"

"That's it. We're leaving."

"No. Please. Just a minute."

"Stefan," Marcel said firmly.

Stefan sighed. Frustrated, he threw his beverage in the first bin he saw and stuffed his hands into his pockets as he followed Marcel back to their house.

Further away, John, Grayson's PI friend, was taking picture of the two men.

 **A/N : So there it is: Katherine and Stefan were a thing when they shouldn't have been, the Gilberts still aren't divorced, Damon is finally Damon and...maybe Marcel is gonna get in trouble with those PI pictures? Fell free to share your thoughts xx M**


	17. Tell the Tale - Part 2

**Tell the Tale – Part 2**

Jonas and Elena were on their way to pick up Katherine before heading out to Damon's pool party.

"Cat got your tongue, kid?" Jonas said. "Barely said a word since last night."

"Sorry. Not in the mood."

"Luka and Greta fight all the time. It's okay."

"Katherine and I aren't fighting."

"I told you last time: forgiveness will free you, sweetie."

"Some things, you can't just forgive that easily."

Jonas smiled.

"Never said it was easy. Baby steps. Be nice to her tonight, see what happens."

"Tonight is business, I'll be nice alright."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Jonas parked his car in front of Grayson and Katherine's house while Elena texted her sister to come out.

"She shouldn't be long."

Indeed, Katherine came outside right away, dressed just like she had planned: wavy grey hair, ripped jeans, her two-piece wax swimsuit and a matching long sleeveless blazer.

"Thank God she added the jacket," Elena whispered to Jonas.

He laughed silently and got out of the car to open the door for Katherine.

"You look beautiful, Katherine."

"Thanks, Jonas. Appreciate the compliment," she said, although she was visibly ill-at-ease.

She hesitantly got in the backseat and touched Elena's shoulder. Her sister immediately disengaged herself from the touch.

"I picked you up to make sure you'll show on time. Tonight, I'm Camille's assistant and you're a client. Nothing more."

"Elena…" Jonas began.

"Leave it, Jonas," Katherine said. "She's right. Tonight is about business for both of us. Let's give these people a show, yeah?"

"That's what you do best, Miss Gilbert," Elena said with fake enthusiasm.

Jonas sighed. He turned on some music, started the car and drove away.

* * *

When the twins got to the Salvatore mansion where Damon didn't live anymore, Elena sighed and wrapped her blazer around herself. The crowd mainly consisted of half-naked people dancing to insufferable music. Definitely not her scene.

"Looks like you're not the only attention-seeker I know," she told Katherine.

Her sister didn't answer. She shrugged off her blazer and a shirtless employee immediately came to get it off her hands, giving her a ticket with a number of it for future withdrawal.

"Welcome, ladies. Miss, may I have your jacket too?"

"Thanks, but I think I'll hold on to it," Elena said.

They made their way into the house and immediately ran into Kai. Elena rolled her eyes and Katherine swiftly made them turn to another direction, but Kai was faster.

"Here they are! The wonder twins!" he exclaimed.

He gestured for them to come be introduced to two men who looked like they had walked straight out of a movie.

Elena saw Damon walking by and waved at him; he toasted his glass of champagne to her. She averted her eyes quickly as he was already shirtless too.

Kai slid a friendly arm around Katherine's shoulders.

"Let me introduce Elena Gilbert, my dearest partner in crime."

Katherine knocked his arm off.

"Someone here can't hold their liquor. I'm Katherine."

"Oh, my bad. That's the thing with twins, so easy to mistake for each other."

The two men laughed. Katherine bit her lip when she saw the cold look on Elena's face. Kai shifted his arm from one sister to the other.

"So, Elena, dear. I'm sure you have plenty to tell these gentlemen about what we're planning for them, haven't ya?"

Elena threw a quizzical glance at Kai as she shook the men's hands. He smirked at her.

"Nice to finally meet you, Elena. Kai had a lot to say about you," the first man said.

"Good things, I hope," she smiled. "Otherwise, don't believe a word he says."

The other man laughed.

"He said you were funny, that's for sure. So, what's the big plan?"

Elena turned to Katherine for help, out of habit. When she realized what she was doing, she focused back on Kai. She took a step to the side so he wasn't touching her anymore.

"I'm – I'm afraid I'm not up to speed on your plan, gentlemen. We – we haven't started working on it yet."

"We?" Kai said, exaggerating the outrage in his voice. "Speak for yourself, darling."

He proceeded to turn to the men and pretended to whisper, but spoke loud enough to be heard.

"She's probably busy with Clancy slash Damon, you see? And who can blame the girl, really?"

Everyone laughed. Except for Kai, they all felt ill-at-ease. He gave Elena a pointed look, as if to say "this is only the beginning".

* * *

Stefan, Marcel and Josh Rosza, an old colleague and friend of Marcel's, were having a relaxing moment in the hot tub.

"Gentlemen, that's officially my way to welcome you to my humble abode," Josh said.

Marcel laughed.

"Humble? With a hot tub, uh? Fool."

"Thank you so much for having us," Stefan said.

"No problem. So what's the next step?"

"The ten-year anniversary," Stefan explained. "Then the legal window closes and I'm safe to stop hiding."

"And all of us with him," Marcel finished.

Josh nodded and gave Marcel a pat on the back.

"What will you do next?"

"Go back to New Orleans. Home, finally."

"Eat proper food, yeah?"

The men all laughed.

"I'll propose to Elena."

Josh and Marcel stopped laughing. Stefan's face was resolute.

"You'll do what, now?" Marcel said.

"Ask her to marry me, man. I even got her a ring."

"Really? Good… Good! Hey Stefan, why don't you go grab us some beers to celebrate, uh?"

Stefan jumped from the tub and wrapped a tower around his waist, put his slippers on and ran into the house. As soon as he was out of sight, Josh slapped Marcel behind his head.

"What legal window? He doesn't know?"

"Shut up, you idiot. Nobody knows."

"Not even Mrs. Gilbert?"

"I'll tell Miranda when she's ready to hear it."

Josh chuckled.

"Miranda, uh? Maybe the kid's not the only one making plans, eh?"

Marcel simply laughed and shook his head, pushing Josh with his shoulder.

* * *

The party was in full bloom when Damon finally spotted Elena. Everyone was in or around the pool, but she had found a quiet corner behind a low wall to sit and smoke a cigarette.

"Can I have one, please?"

"No. It's bad for your voice."

Damon laughed and sat next to her. From there, the sounds of the party were toned down so they didn't have to shout to hear each other.

"Quite a stunt Kai pulled on you earlier."

Elena shrugged.

"Jokes between colleagues. Happens."

"He hates you."

"I deserve it," she said, feeling a pang of guilt at the memory of how Klaus spoke to Kai because of her insecurities.

After a while, Elena decided to give Damon a cigarette. He lit it and took out a long drag, blowing a cloud of smoke around them.

"He was wrong, you know."

"About what?"

"You and your sister. You're different."

She snorted.

"Only takes eyes to know that."

"I'd know with my eyes closed," he objected.

"Well, that would be a first."

"Do you want a glass of champagne to make you feel better?"

"I don't drink."

Damon made an interested face.

"You don't drink and you don't date."

"We've established that."

"It's because of her. The not dating."

"I didn't think so before last night, but yeah."

Damon laughed and looked back at the party. Katherine was flirting with everyone, dancing on a table with other models.

"What's so funny?" Elena said.

"That time you said you wanted to keep it professional between us."

Elena jumped a little, put out her cigarette in the plant next to her and got to her feet, buttoning her blazer quickly.

"You're right. It's – it's inappropriate to discuss my private life with a client. I'm – I'm so sorry, it won't happen ag –"

"Hey, hey, slow down. I wasn't saying it was a bad thing."

He put out his cigarette too and stood up. He put his hands on Elena's shoulders as she frantically looked around to make sure nobody was watching them.

"Kai is already starting rumors, I should never have let myself be so casual with you."

"Forget about that douche. Being casual helped me write. The song from yesterday. I wrote it after you left."

Elena's eyes widened in astonishment. She had inspired him? She had actually affected him enough to get a song out of him? She was secretly glad that she wasn't the only one feeling differently about this professional relationship.

"Glad I could help, that's wonderful."

"Now let me do something for you."

"What?"

Damon took a step closer to her. She frowned, amused for a moment, but just as puzzled. Before she could process what was happening, Damon was kissing her softly, his lips only caressing hers until she gave him the silent permission. She found herself responding to his solicitation, but immediately pushed him away roughly.

Dumbfounded, Damon watched her run away.

* * *

Around the pool, Klaus make his pen tinkle against his glass of champagne.

"Can I get everyone's attention please," his powerful voice demanded.

People gathered around him and Camille. Still confused from what had just happened, Damon joined the crowd and made sure to stay far from Elena, who was standing with Caroline. When silence finally settled in, Camille took a step forward.

"Good evening everyone, and welcome. We're so glad you could all join us to celebrate the new faces of O'Connell & Mikaelson."

The crowd applauded.

"Our agency has been working tirelessly to serve your best interests," Klaus continued. "And we trust you'll be welcoming to the newcomers."

The applause continued as Camille listed the names of said newcomers. Each one joined the podium by the pool when their name was called.

"For the modelling department: Angela Hicks, Joseph Calun, Andy Steward, Peter Anderson and Katherine Gilbert."

Elena slapped a fake smile on her face when her sister's name came up. So did Damon.

"For the photography department," Klaus continued, "Sam Atkins, Grant Delphs, and Helen Yu."

"And finally," Camille announced, "for the music department, our host for the night, formerly known as Clancy King, mister Damon Salvatore!"

The crowd cheered on. Klaus took Camille by the elbow to lead her to the podium with him, but she declined. He went alone, positioned himself in the middle of the new faces and cameras started flashing. Camille took that opportunity to join Caroline and Elena.

"Camille, this is Caroline, the singer I told you about. Caroline, this is Camille O'Connell."

"Thank you so much for having me, Ms. O'Connell."

"My pleasure. And please, call me Cami."

"Cami. Thank you, it's an honor to sing for you."

"Well, Elena said you've got a voice out of this world, so naturally, I want to help you out."

"That's…really generous of you. But I'm not…"

"Not looking for help, yes. I've heard. But whenever you're ready, remember Elena will always be available to you. In the meantime, who knows? We might need your services for other private events."

"It'd be a pleasure."

"It was lovely meeting you, Caroline. I hope to see you again soon to discuss your career."

Caroline nodded politely, and Camille excused herself with a nod as well. Caroline turned to Elena with bewildered eyes and Elena smiled, knowing Camille had planted a seed that would work its way up in all of Caroline's thoughts from then on.

"And now it's time for entertainment!" Klaus roared. "Please welcome to the stage…Damon Salvatore and Caroline Forbes!"

Caroline joined Damon and they started performing a cover of _Somethin' Stupid_ by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman to open their 30-minute set.

Back inside the mansion, Elena found Katherine drinking shots off of another model's body.

"Oh, for God's sake…"

She strode to the nearest table and poured a cup of coffee from a thermos bottle. She then marched to her sister and cleared her throat. When Katherine saw her, she pouted.

"Ouh, Fun Police has arrived!"

"A word, Katherine, please."

Without waiting for an answer, Elena grabbed her sister by the arm and dragged her to the side.

"You're drunk," she said, keeping her voice down.

"As a skunk," Katherine giggled.

Elena put the cup of coffee in her hand.

"Drink this before Camille or Niklaus sees you."

"Eek. No, thanks. Vodka suits me much better!"

"Do you want to get fired before you actually start working?"

"You're being a pain just because I told you I was drunk when I slept with Stefan."

Elena's face hardened and she forced the cup to Katherine's lips.

"We agreed tonight is about business."

"Would you say it's my business that your boyfriend knocked me up and I lost his baby in the accident, Miss Gilbert?"

Katherine started miming a rounded belly and giggled some more. Elena let go of her as quickly as if her skin had been on fire. Her eyes were horrified. Luckily, nobody was close enough to hear.

"What did you just say? A - a baby? Th-there was a baby?"

Katherine's hand flew to her mouth as she realized what she had just said. A waitress walked to them, a tray filled with glasses of champagne in her hand.

"Champagne, ladies?"

Elena took hold of one glass and emptied it in one gulp. Just like the day before, she didn't say a word to her sister. She took her phone out of her pocket, dialed a number and waited.

"Jonas? Please come pick me up immediately."

Katherine began crying profusely, alcohol worsening her reaction.

"No, wait! Don't go, please!"

Elena almost ran outside to leave the mansion but she had to go through the crowd and walk along the pool to get to the nearest exit. Katherine was running after her.

"Elena, let me explain!"

With each word, Elena walked faster.

"Stupid heels," she said through her teeth.

"Lena, please!"

Elena violently turned around and without the slightest hesitation, threw her sister in the pool. A few people laughed, thinking it was part of a game and they started throwing each other in the pool as well. Elena met Damon's eyes and this time, she made a run for it.

Five cigarettes later, Jonas' car arrived. Hearing Katherine's voice looking for her coming closer, Elena hurriedly got into the car and locked the doors.

"What about your sister?" Jonas said.

"I don't have a sister."

 **A/N: Boom, now that one harsh way to end a chapter, isn't it? haha. I'm dying to hear what you'll have to say about this one. Much love, Mxxx.**


	18. Tell the Tale - Part 3

**Tell the Tale Part 3**

Davina was in bed when she heard the door open. Only wearing a large t-shirt and her underwear, she rushed to meet her girlfriend. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Katherine.

"I didn't know we had company," she said, looking at Caroline.

Davina pulled on her t-shirt so it covered her legs better, to no avail. Her discomfort was palpable and Caroline bit her lip, thinking a text might have been a welcome heads-up.

"Sorry to impose. I'm Katherine."

"Davina. Nice to meet you."

Caroline gestured for Katherine to go sit on the couch.

"Oh no, I'll drench it. Just…lend me some clothes and I'll be out of your hair."

Caroline went to the bedroom to get clothes. Davina and Katherine exchanged timid smiles.

"Bit of a wild night for all of us…" Katherine said, as if it was any excuse.

Davina simply nodded. She didn't like having this stranger – this drop dead gorgeous stranger – in her apartment at this ungodly hour. Luckily, Caroline came back with dry blue jeans, a red blouse and a leather jacket.

"Not sure they'll fit, though," Caroline said. "Bathroom's the last door on the left."

"Thanks."

Katherine disappeared to the bathroom. Caroline took Davina to the side and started whispering.

"She and her sister got into a fight, it got ugly. Didn't want to leave her alone."

"I guess you want her to sleep over."

"If you don't mind."

"Well, now that she's here…"

Caroline caressed Davina's cheek.

"Sorry. I'll make it up to you, babe."

From the bathroom, Katherine heard the entire conversation. She wiped her makeup, splashed some water onto her face and changed into Caroline's clothes. She inhaled the scent of the blouse and a relieved smile appeared on her lips. When she came back to the living-room, she had a new pep in her step and a large smile.

"Perfect fit, thanks Care."

Davina ticked at the use of the nickname but said nothing.

"No problem," Caroline said. "Do you want a cup of tea? I was going to make some."

"Sure."

As Caroline put a kettle on, Davina disappeared to put on some sweatpants. When she returned, Katherine smiled at her.

"Your babe totally stole the show tonight. Wanna see? I filmed the whole thing."

"Sure," Davina said, wondering why Katherine had bothered and not liking the possible answers.

Katherine took her phone out. Davina stayed at a distance and tried to focus on the videos and on keeping a pleasant look on her face, but Katherine wouldn't stop talking.

"I'm pretty sure Camille will have her signed by the end of the month."

"She's not interested," Davina said shortly.

Caroline came back with the three cups of tea on a tray, milk and sugar to the side.

"Exactly what I keep telling everyone", she concurred.

"I saw you up there tonight and during the party. A part of you wants this and you gotta let it have it."

"A part of you wants this?" Davina said, turning to Caroline with a wan smile.

Caroline felt the red flush her cheeks.

"Maybe, yeah. I'd never performed for so many people before. So let's say a teeny-tiny part."

"That's new," Davina scoffed.

"But I don't trust this business."

"You can trust Camille," Katherine said. "She's being wonderful with me."

Davina observed the dynamics between Katherine and her girlfriend and came to hate it more and more by the minute. The way this perfect stranger thought she knew Caroline was insufferable, and yes, Davina Claire was known for her jealous fits.

"Caroline already has a job. We have a good life, there's no need to mess it all up for a stupid record deal."

Caroline frowned.

"Stupid? You were the one who wanted pop stars to come visit my students. I'm pretty sure I can get Clancy King to do it, now."

Davina was about to say something, but Katherine was faster.

"Damon Salvatore."

"Oh yeah, the dude changed his name to rebrand his image."

"See?" Davina exclaimed. "Contracts and stuff, they change you. I love my Care just the way she is."

Katherine nodded with an odd smile and took her cup of tea. Her face hardened as she remembered everything that had happened at the party. She started crying silently.

"Oh no, sweetheart. Don't cry," Caroline said.

She sat next to Katherine and took her by the shoulders. Katherine's head went to rest on her shoulder. Davina glared at them; Caroline glared back.

"Do you know what, Kat? You need a girls night out."

"What?" Davina said.

"Yeah. She needs to dance it out, drink it out, whatever. Let's go, I know a good club."

"That sounds nice, yeah," Katherine said.

"Are you serious right now, Caroline?"

"Yeah," she said. "Want to come along, babe?"

Davina threw her an incredulous look.

"We both have work tomorrow, Caroline."

"The hell with work. Come on, Dav. I'll be good fun."

"I hate clubs, remember?"

There were a long moment of silence.

"You both stay," Katherine decided. "Just give me the name, I'll find myself company there."

"I don't want to leave you alone after the night you've had. Give me a minute to change and we're good to go."

Davina sighed and got to her feet.

"Well, have fun, then. Goodnight. Was nice meeting you, Katherine."

"Nice meeting you t—"

The bedroom door slammed. Caroline shrugged and went to the bathroom to change.

* * *

Damon was sitting at the piano, dozens of sheets of paper scattered around him. He ripped another one from his notebook with a frustrated groan.

"You can do this, Damon. Come on. Focus."

He cracked his fingers and started playing again, closing his eyes to reminisce about all the times he saw Elena during the party: with Kai, smoking alone, talking to Camille, running away.

He began singing.

 _You play your part, you hide your scars to perfection. And they don't see you standing right on the edge. But I've watched that scene unfold too many times now. I see the shadows in your eyes, I know you need me._

He paused, wondering what a good pre-chorus would be. Closing his eyes again, he saw her running away, her sister on her trail.

 _I wanna take you away… take you away…_

He opened his eyes with a smile. The song was coming together quite nicely.

"Now, this is something."

He resumed playing the piano and closed his eyes again, this time to remember how it felt to kiss her.

 _I wanna drive you to the beach when the sun goes down, I wanna listen to the dreams you don't dare to have, I wanna heal your broken wings so you get to fly, be the one that will make you forget the past, beyond the lies._

He opened his eyes and started feverishly writing down in his notebook.

* * *

Jeremy and Bonnie exited the bathtub together, kissing and messing around like children. They laughed and poked each other, alternating between teases and kisses.

"And now the hunt begins!" Jeremy announced.

"But what am I looking for?"

"You'll know when you find it."

Bonnie giggled and started looking all around the bathroom, under the towels, in the cupboard, to no avail.

"At least tell me if I'm looking in the right place!"

"Not at all, baby."

Bonnie then looked methodically everywhere as she went from the bathroom to Jeremy's bedroom. When she turned the light on, she found a set of keys on the pillow, on her side of the bed. She gasped.

"Keys? What for?"

Jeremy came in behind her, enclosing her in a tight embrace. He kissed her shoulder.

"So you can come and go as you please. And feel at home here with us."

She turned around and caressed his face, her fingers running from his forehead to his chin.

"Are you asking me to move in?"

He simply nodded with a goofy smile. Bonnie gasped again and started squealing.

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes !"

Jeremy scooped her up into his arms and made her twirl.

"Yes!"

"Shhh! We'll wake Gracie!"

Jeremy's smile vanished slowly. He put Bonnie down, walked to the bed and grabbed the keys to put them in Bonnie's hand. She kissed them and closed her hand on them. She sat next to him on the bed and grabbed his hand.

"What's wrong, Jeremy?"

"It's Grace. We talked about her mother the other day and…"

"You felt bad for not telling her the truth."

Jeremy nodded.

"I hate living with so many secrets. I hope Lena can help me figure it out when I see her."

"Eh, I'm here now. You don't have to carry that weight alone, Jer."

Silence.

"Remember that other bank account I have?"

Bonnie took a deep breath.

"I know Miranda sends you money but I don't know why you never use it."

"She wants to buy my silence."

"Your silence?! Jeremy, please. You're scaring me. What do you know?"

Jeremy looked up to Bonnie with a pleading look in his eyes.

"She doesn't want me to tell anyone that Stefan Price is still alive."

Bonnie gasped and dropped her keys when her hands flew to her face.

"Wh-what?"

"She faked his death. He's alive."

"You've got to tell Elena."

Jeremy sighed.

* * *

In Mystic Falls, three different things happened at the same time, each about to cause a tempest whose violence was still unknown. Katherine and Caroline let their lips meet in a searing kiss in that hotel room, Elena accepted a 2am phone call from Damon Salvatore and Grayson got an email from John with pictures of Stefan and Marcel in front of O'Connell and Mikaelson…

 **A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated; life has been keeping me busy and I'm struggling to get the story to where I want it to go but here's a little something to make y'all wait. Much love, M.**


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